Arcadia Gays
by PriestessAmy
Summary: A collection of poly fics about the four main girls from Life is Strange. All content is mostly based in actual game events, but with the assumption that everyone lives and Max no longer has powers. I try to avoid major new spoilers wherever possible. Comments and reviews very much appreciated.
1. The First Stone(r)

Chloe was troubled. Well, she was _always_ troubled. That was kind of her deal. It would be more accurate to say that she was worried. Of particular oddity was the fact that she was worried about Kate. The four girls had really only just become A Thing recently, and so far it felt more like a straight line with her on one end and Ms. Goody-Good at the other. Or, if she were being honest, it was like each of them was in a relationship with Mad Max, and they tolerated one another. She did at least find a certain joy in sparring with Victoria from time to time, but that was about the extent of it. When it came to Kate, they didn't have a goddamn thing in common.

And yet here she was in the girl's room. She'd originally come by to bug Max, but she was apparently out with Princess at some fancy shindig. She had gone all the way out to Blackwell, and didn't exactly feel like going back home. So on a whim – and really, wasn't that her whole life in a nutshell – she'd decided to visit Kate. She had the fuzzball out of its cage gnawing on some lettuce, and the cute animal drew her in despite her reservations. It was something at least, a talking point so they could avoid the elephant in the room. Something was clearly wrong. Ever since that fucked up week in October, everyone knew they had to keep a close eye on Kate, and for a time things were golden.

But lately she'd been hanging out less, always afraid to spend money, and she wasn't even hanging with Max as much. Something was on her mind, but she was locked up tight about it. And for all the secrets she herself kept, she didn't like being out of the loop, and she definitely didn't like to see Max upset.

Both girls were seated on Kate's bed, and after its delicious meal of greens, the fuzzball had ended up in her lap. Chloe was idly fiddling with its ears and finally decided to launch right into it. "So c'mon, spill the beans, Angel, what's got you down?"

Kate's face fell and she got that look like she was going to start crying. Shit, Chloe hated that look. "It's noth-"

"Don't you dare tell me it's nothing," she said, perhaps more sharply than she'd intended. These things happened to her a lot. "You're one of us, so... I don't know, pretend I'm Max or whatever!"

There was a long pause, as Kate did little more than fiddle with her hands in her lap. Chloe feared she had gone too far, but finally Kate's lips parted, she hesitated, and then tried again. "I think maybe this was a mistake. Us. The group... thing. I don't know if it's right."

"Yeah, it's a little scary, but it's not as if we're hurting anybody. If anything, it's the best thing that's happened to any of us in a while. Max is clearly into you in a big way, and I've seen how you snuggle up to Victoria like a kitten. You're happy, right? Aren't you...?" A dumb question to ask, she knew too late, but these things had a way of flying out of her mouth before she had a chance to wrangle them in.

Even in the midst of her sadness, Kate still managed to look downright appalled at the suggestion. "Of course! Even you, Chloe, you came to see me, you're asking me about this stuff, so I know you care, in your way." Shit, she was so quiet, Chloe sometimes forgot how observant Angel could be. "No, it's... Well, I started going to that new church, and everything was fine until one day I let it slip to one person that I had girlfriends. Plural. And they looked so horrified, I knew I'd screwed up. Less than a day later and pretty much everyone knew. People were apparently praying for our souls, and the pastor has taken a dig at us at least once per sermon. He'd say shit..." here Kate paused and looked frustrated with herself. "Stuff... about 'We know there are those in this congregation who sometimes stray' or whatever. And then everyone looks in my direction."

Chloe could hardly believe what she was hearing. Wasn't this place like... her home away from home or whatever? How could they be that awful? Well, they weren't beating around the bush now, so she figured she might as well dig as deep as she could. "Are they charging you to be gigantic assholes? I know you've been eating in the dining hall more, skipping out on meals with us at Two Whales. Joyce thought it was her cooking!"

"They have a very literal definition of tithing. Everyone knows how much everyone else has, and if we don't give a full ten percent, you get shamed. Bad. I was getting so much sh- stuff from them about you all that I've actually been giving extra each week."

"I'm coming with you. Sunday. I'm picking you up at 10:30. Be ready." There was no room for argument, and the bunny was back in Kate's arms before she had a chance to say anything.

And so it was that, as promised, Chloe picked Kate up that weekend at 10:35. This was extreme punctuality for the blue-haired girl. Not only that, but Chloe was clearly trying super hard. Kate would put money down that Chloe owned one dress, probably originally owned by Rachel Amber, and she was wearing it now. Her hair was still blue, her shoes still construction boots, but it was an adorable sight nonetheless. She sat in the passenger seat of the Tank, worried about what exactly Chloe was plotting. She had that impish look, but things were already set in motion, and she was essentially along for the ride.

The truck came to a stop in a parking lot filled with fancy cars and minivans, looking as out of place as Chloe herself did. The stares and whispers were worse than ever, but Kate found that clinging to Chloe's arm helped. Suprisingly, though, things were relatively smooth for the first hour. Relatively. There were a lot of points where it was obvious Chloe had no clue what she was doing, like a lost puppy just trying her best to be a good girl. She stood up too long, or sat down too early, she could only mouth along to the Lord's Prayer. But... she was really trying! Her heart felt warm. She even played along when Chloe stopped her from putting her money into the offering. Yes, she had a plan, obviously.

The sermon was arguably the worst part. The pastor had that glint in his eye when he saw the two girls together, clearly doing the math in his head as to who the mystery guest was. His dig was even more obvious, talking about harlots who marked their bodies with signs of the unrighteous, temptations of the world, and he suddenly seemed convinced that blue was the color of evil. Kate had to jab Chloe in the ribs when she heard her mutter "Subtle..." a little too loud. But they had done it, they had survived the service, and Kate began to wonder if maybe she would make it through this day unscathed. Then, she remembered that it was the first week of the month, and that meant free food after the service. Chloe would be all over that! She tried tugging her toward the door, but it was no use. Mere seconds later, the two were attached at the hip in the fellowship hall, trying to hide off in the corner with a plate of cookies and finger sandwiches, sipping juice and ignoring all the glances cast their way.

The trouble started when the pastor came over, and on impulse Kate released her hold on Chloe and jumped to her feet as a sign of respect to the man of God. "What did you think of today's service, Kate?" She forced herself to sit back down, and Chloe's hand latched onto hers like a magnet. The tight grip told her all she needed to hear. She couldn't even get a word in edgewise before Chloe jumped in.

"Very enlightening! You hit that twenty minute mark, and I thought, surely he can't possibly top himself, and yet you continued on. Forty minutes, that's got to be a record!"

"That was actually one of his shorte-"

"I tend to go on for an hour or so, but I felt it best to keep my remarks brief. I just had to get the chance to meet one of our Kate's infamous... friends..." There was practically venom dribbling from the man's mouth.

Again Chloe's grip tightened and Kate winced. This would not end well. " **Your** Kate? I wasn't under the impression you all owned her. Though if what I hear is right about your titling process..."

"Tithing, Chloe, tithing..."

"You clearly have a pretty tight grasp on her."

The pastor looked aghast – a fancy word, but really the only one that fit. "The way I hear it, Kate has a good many owners." His eyes narrowed. Chloe's eyes narrowed. The bomb bay doors were opened and atomic nuke Chloe was approaching the ground fast. "No one owns Kate. Sir. She's her own woman."

"Chloe, m-my hand..."

"Not you. Not these self-righteous fuckers. Not even your fucked up interpretation of a moldy book!" In a blur, Chloe was on her feet, pulling Kate with her, and into a very... **very** passionate kiss. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the famous Price Bird flipping off the entire room. Their lips finally parted amid over-dramatic gasps. "I'm just the blue-haired temptress who's saving her from this godforsaken shitheap. C'mon, Angel, we're outta here..."

Kate was practically dragged out to the Tank. Everything as a blur and she really didn't know what to think or say. She'd been in cuddle piles with Chloe before, but that was her first time kissing the girl. Had it been a show? Or was it something more than that? Oh, God, she could never come back to this place. But she was finally seeing a little more clearly and was fairly certain that would have been a bad idea anyway. She could only sit there in the passenger seat with her hands folded in her lap, unsure what to think or feel. When she finally snapped back to reality, she realized they were not back at Blackwell, but instead Chloe's home. "Mom and step-douche are out, thank christ. Shit, sorry!" Kate just shrugged as she was taken from the truck and inside.

Next thing she knew, she was sitting on Chloe's bed with a glass of water. She had apparently sipped some of it. She hadn't dissociated this bad since... October. Apparently Max wasn't the only one with a hero complex. Kate was vaguely aware that Chloe had changed out of her dress at some point and was sitting at her computer, furiously typing away and printing the occasional sheet of paper. Kate really had no idea what was going on anymore, but she didn't even have the capacity to question anything yet. She continued drinking her water, focusing on centering herself and slowing her breathing.

Finally the storm seemed to pass, both the one in her mind and the one called Chloe. She moved from her desk to the mattress and sat crosslegged next to Kate. The glass was empty now, and Chloe gently set it on the floor before laying out each printed sheet separately in front of her. She watched in mild awe as Chloe reached out and pulled her hair out of its usual bun, running her fingers through it, looking at her with very sincere concern. "You with me yet? Shit, I'm sorry, you know how I get. Everything gets hot and I start going with my gut. But, I think I-" Kate shook her head and pressed her hands to Chloe's cheeks, pulling her in for a desperate kiss that went on a good deal longer than the one in the church.

"Apology accepted, temptress" Chloe could only stare in utter shock at the mousy girl. Her Angel. This was a day of firsts. She was starting to wonder if she should press her luck and convince Kate to unwind with her, but that was probably going too far just yet. "Cool. So. Um."

"Chloe Price, speechless? Wow."

"Shut up... Anyway, here!" She motioned to the papers with an adorably flustered hand. "There's this place, not too far from Arcadia Bay." She passed her a print-out of the website's front page, followed by one of a cheery looking woman in a black robe. "That's the pastor. She's an ag-whatever."

Kate looked over the pages as they were passed to her. "Agnostic?" she said, trying to hide the amusement from her eyes.

"Yeah, don't know how it works, but there you go." The next page showed the same woman presiding over a marriage ceremony for a local gay couple. The one after that a mugshot. "She got a little angry at a Black Lives Matter rally. I figure if you're gonna get preached at by someone, better someone with a wicked rap sheet, y'know?" The rest of the pages detailed the church's work with Planned Parenthood, their queer group, and a totally lame and not at all sweet poem written by one of the members.

"So there you go. Chloe Price might rage and wreck everything, but she helps rebuild too." She huffed and sat back, and Kate could see just how out of breath and frustrated she was. And Kate really didn't know what to say. She carefully gathered up all the pages, folded them together, and placed them together in her purse. Without a word she lay her head down in Chloe's lap and the eager fingers resumed combing through her hair. "You'll need a ride, I don't think the bus goes that way. I mean, if you want. Not like I do anything on Sundays except wake up at noon and chill."

Kate smiled and closed her eyes, snuggling up a little more, completely wiped from the morning's adventure. "Promise me one thing?"

"Name it, Angel."

"Never wear that dress, ever again. Ever."


	2. A Captured Moment

Victoria Chase sat on her bed, face cradled in her hands, as Max sat by her side with an arm wrapped around her, trying her best to be supportive, but it wasn't easy. It seemed things were never easy around Arcadia Bay. But in true Victoria fashion, this seemed a bit blown out of proportion. "Come on, it's not that bad. It's just a few of your best shots, and it's only for a week."

The situation truly wasn't all that awful. Following Mr. Jefferson's departure, a new teacher had been brought in to nurture the photography students - a sweet, matronly woman with a wealth of experience and, yes the two artists had to admit, talent to boot. It was no surprise that Jefferson took an unhealthy interest in a select few of his students, much to the detriment of everyone else. And so Ms. Halloway decided that for the rest of the year, each of the students would craft their own gallery show. They were allowed to present it however they wished, and at the end of the week, they would receive both praise and criticism from their fellow classmates.

Daniel got the first week, followed by Kate, and now Victoria was up to bat. And, as expected, she was losing her shit. Max gently traced her hand up and down her girlfriend's back, silently appreciating the amazing feeling of her blouse's fabric. Silk, if she had to wager a guess, but frankly fashion continued to elude her, try as Tori might to put her in anything but a hoodie and jeans.

"You're sweet, Maxine, but I'm going to be freaking out about this until the zero hour, turn it in, and everyone will tell me how amazing and perfect I am. That's how it works."

In time, Victoria had learned with some amusement that she was actually allowed to get away with calling her 'Maxine'. Only when they were alone, and only very rarely. It was one of life's small pleasures. "But you're very sweet for trying..." She leaned in and kissed her softly on the cheek. That was the other thing that she only allowed in private. It was no secret that the quartet of mismatched companions were all seeing one another. But appearances had to be maintained, so Victoria made it clear early-on that PDA was a huge problem for her. Chloe was, predictably, the only one to push her luck on this.

This answer did not satisfy Max, however. She didn't like conflict, and she didn't like to see anyone she loved in distress. Her initial response had been as expected. Hugs, kisses, general affection. But it didn't seem to be working out so well. She doubled her efforts and settled herself in cross-legged behind Victoria and started massaging her shoulders. This seemed marginally more helpful, and she even felt a moment of pride as the blonde beauty gave a satisfied sigh of delight.

But alas! No matter how much she tried, no matter how deep into the tissue her fingers dug, she couldn't wipe the stress from her beloved. "You know I'm here for you, right dumb-butt? Like, the project is yours, but beyond that, your wish is my command. Just tell me what you need!" Okay, that was getting a little overly desperate. But seriously, it was difficult to articulate how much Max hated drama.

Victoria initially felt the old desire in her to get stand-off-ish. _I wish you would leave me the hell alone so I could sulk in peace!_ Sometimes old habits were hard to break. Sometimes her fingers itched to tug Max's pigtails, metaphorically speaking. But one glance at that doofy, adorable, stupid, beautiful face was all the reminder she needed. Victoria flicked through a stack of pictures she'd pulled out and sighed wistfully. "I could point to each one of these pictures and tell you exactly which photographer or artist I'm aping. I could write a ten page paper on each one about composition, color, framing, all of it! But..."

Here Victoria paused, and without warning she began to rearrange their bodies with masterful grace. Before Max knew what was what, Tori was laid out on her bed, propped up against her pillows, with Max resting on her side, snuggled up to her, head on her shoulder. "But this stupid requirement, about showing 'who we are'. It's stupid! What does that even mean! It's so... stupid." Victoria just used stupid three times in a row. This was bad.

Still, it was impossible for Max not to be a little amused by her pouty princess. To her, it was so obvious, Victoria was trying too hard. It wasn't a problem that plagued her often, but when it did, it was pretty adorable. Max gave Tori a little nuzzle in the shoulder, not unlike a kitten headbutting affectionately. "Give 'em..."

Confused, Victoria passed the stack of images to Max and watched her with a raised eyebrow. There was a moment of silence, punctuated only by the occasional "mmm..." from Max. What the hell was she doing? What was her process? Was she identifying the composition? Had she found some flaw in her work? God, her heart was pounding like crazy! She was already pre-emptively imagining every negative comment Max could possibly make.

"These pictures..."

"Yes?"

"...they're perfect..."

Okay, now Victoria was truly confused. If her work was impeccable, if her pictures were so good, why didn't she feel she could turn them in? "I don't follow, Shutterbug."

"I know you don't." Anyone else saying that would have earned a smack across the face. But not only was Max allowed to get away with her snide comment, but she even took the opportunity to kiss Victoria on the lips with an appreciative smile. She held the pictures aloft so they could both see them and flicked through each one. Like Tori, she could immediately give an artistic label to each, point out some beautiful shadow placement, comment on her pallet, or pick a famous name from a line-up that applied to the image. Finally she passed the stack back to her and sat up, quietly messing with her hair in thoughtful contemplation. "You think too much, Chase. I want you to put those pictures away. You're not allowed to pull them out until you have your first official gallery. Where you will make hella bank for those works of art."

Victoria was speechless. "So..."

Max pointed a finger at her with a serious look. "And then, you're going to pull together all your photos, and we're going to go through them. And every time one of them makes you smile or want to tell me a story, we'll set it aside. And then we'll choose your pieces for the classroom exhibit." Max watched as Victoria's eyes began to water and she immediately felt guilty for her choice of demeanor. Oh, shit, she'd overdone it! "Um! But... that's just... I mean, there are other ways... I-I just hated seeing you be so not-Victoria... and I thought..."

Max's manic pixie dream girl act was cut short by a solid kiss from Victoria, eliciting a squeak from the tiny doe. "Shut up, selfie-girl You're a genius and now you're ruining it." Before Max could babble herself into a deeper grave, Victoria hopped up and, with surprising excitement, fished out her portfolio and flopped onto the bed next to Max.

They were barely three photos in when Victoria gave an excited cooing noise and pointed eagerly at one photo in particular. Like all the others, it was perfectly, artistically composed. But it was the subject that actually drew the eye – an adorable cocker spaniel. "Belinda... We got her as a puppy when I was just a baby. This year was our first Christmas without her." Victoria began to trail off, and with a very gentle touch, saying nothing, Max removed the photo and held it on her lap like it was a treasure more precious than jewels.

And that was how the next few hours went. Victoria would survey her portfolio until a picture caught her eye. Sometimes she would grace it with a single fingertip and tell some tear-stained story, at which point Max would add it to the growing pile. Other times the photo would get a more eager introduction, accompanied by a story full of laughter. And into the pile it would go.

It was late at night by the time they'd finished. With very little pomp and circumstance, the stack of photographs was set on Victoria's desk, the two girls undressed and climbed into her bed for more snuggles until exhaustion claimed them both. "I'm not sure if I should be thanking you or cursing you, Maxine."

Max looked up at Victoria from where she had burrowed her way under the comfy-cozy covers. "Murr?"

"I have a better idea of how to do my presentation. But I've got about fifty photos to sort through now. It's like I have more work to deal with than when we started."

Despite Victoria's chiding tone, Max just grinned from ear to ear, eyes closing again as she resumed her cocooned comfort. "I'm pretty sure it's the unwritten rule that I make everyone's lives more complicated. You love it. Besides, this was fun. I got to combine nerding out over photography with learning more about you. I got to know Victoria Chase better in the last few hours than I have this entire year."

"Just you wait until it's your turn, Maxine Caulfield. I will annoyingly pester you about every adorable picture you've ever taken. Prepare yourself for The Inquisition in a few weeks." The way Max was behaving, it was pretty much impossible to resist. She shut off her bedside lamp and joined her in burrowing under the warm blankets. "God, do they have to crank the AC so high? It's mid-spring!"

Tiny waif arms wrapped around Victoria, providing far more heat than one would imagine them capable of. Or perhaps she was imagining it. "Never fear, Mad Max will solve all your problems."

"I love you, you fucking hipster nerd..."


	3. Our Special-Tea

Kate checked the text on her phone for the hundredth time. Leave it to Max to send her the most unhelpful invitation ever. 'hey got a big surprise for our latest tea date get your hype face on and come to my room (^_^)/'. What did that even mean? And why were they meeting in Max's room instead of the coffee shop downtown? Well, the only way to find out was to head over and see what the big deal was. Of course, Max could be excited over just about anything, but Kate was letting herself get infected by her girlfriend's eagerness. She could already hear the music coming from her room before she even got her fist in place to knock. Kate gave two polite raps against the door and stood there awkwardly, still unsure what to expect.

Finally, Max threw open the portal and ushered Kate into her room. She was practically jumping with delight as she presented her find to Kate. It turned out to be a ratty little hotplate seated on top of an overturned plastic crate. Seated on the hotplate was an equally worn kettle. Two mugs sat on the ground, one emblazoned with the Arcadia Bay lighthouse, the other a plain white mug that proudly stated its owner to be '#1 Grandpa'. _Wait, that's it?_ the part of Kate that had learned cynicism from Chloe and Victoria chimed in. But she quickly pushed it back when she saw the look of sheer delight on Max's face.

 _No, that's clearly not it._ Kate sunk down to the floor and seated herself amid the pile of pillows Max had fashioned and motioned for the beaming hipster to join her. Ever the eager puppy, Max latched onto her and stared at the kettle, ready for it to start whistling. "Isn't it amazing? Chloe and I went to the thrift store the other day and they had this whole thing as a package deal. Fifteen bucks!" Max nuzzled Kate, and again she found the positive vibes impossible to resist.

"That's really cool, Max. So we can save on our tea dates."

"Not just that! I mean, check it out, I've built us a whole little love-nest and everything. Couldn't you just die?"

Kate blushed furiously, and for a moment she felt genuine guilt for ever letting herself thinking anything but the absolute best of Max's efforts. "I really could, sweetie. This is... I-I can't believe it."

"I ordered a shit-ton of teas from this cool online store. I was sorta freaked that they wouldn't show up on time."

How long had she been planning this? The more Kate looked at the set-up, the more it grew on her. The kettle's awful floral pattern, the previous owner's Sharpie graffiti on the hotplate, the #1 Grandpa mug. It was so... Max. So very Max. "I'm glad they did. I'd hate for the surprise to be ruined." The kettle was soon whistling and Max began bustling around, messing with infusers and loose-leaf tea in little plastic packages. Kate's heart swelled and she fiddled with the cross around her neck. She hadn't seen Max look this perky in a while. While the tea was seeping, Max checked the volume on the soft indie music, turned off the lights, and fiddled with the blinds until the lighting was perfect. _Just like a photographer. Even when you're not snapping pics, you still have to set everything just so._

Finally Max stopped fiddling and allowed herself to sink back into the mass of pillows, passing one of the mugs to Kate and offering her sugar and honey. Kate got her tea to where she liked it before grabbing Max around the shoulders and squeezing her tight. "Hey, ease up, dear. You have gone above and beyond here. Now take the time to actually enjoy it..." Max looked at her in surprise before pausing, seeming to take stock of herself, and realized she was practically vibrating with joy.

"Sorry, I was just... I... wanted our tea dates to be a little more... um... intimate." Both girls blushed in turn and sipped at their tea awkwardly as Max spelled out her intentions. It seemed that no matter how long they dated, they remained the awkward, easily-embarrassed ones. So putting the two alone together in a room was a recipe for a lot of blushing. "I know all the bits and pieces are kinda lame, on their own, but..."

"But together, they make a very cozy set," Kate insisted, finishing the thought for her.

"And someday, we'll have our own place with a proper stove. And we'll have adorable kettles and dozens of mugs and artisan honey and everything."

Oof, the future. That was so big and scary and far away (no matter how close they got to graduation) and it honestly kind of freaked Kate out a little bit. She thought she had a good grip on her life until October when everything changed. It felt a little like she was picking up the pieces since then and putting them together in different places. The rooftop, the thing with the church and Chloe, all the pressure. How could Max talk about it like that, like it was all so sure? She nervously took her hand and laced their fingers together, just staring at the entwined digits for a moment. "You really think so?"

Max had sorta just been talking out her ass, but when she saw that Look on Kate's face, she realized that maybe she'd taken it a step too far. She pulled the clenched hand to her face and kissed her knuckle tenderly. "I do. I guess anything feels possible these days." Max and Chloe shared a lot of stories that still didn't make much sense. Max was cool, but had she really saved the entire town? All that time stuff, it made her head hurt. Most of the time, she just rolled with it.

"I look forward to it."

Things eventually lightened after that. Kate realized that she most definitely preferred their new tea-date set-up. There was a great deal of cuddling and kissing and idle conversation about anything and everything. Somewhere in the proceedings, they'd left their empty mugs aside and moved the entire cuddle pile to Max's bed. Tuckered out from over-planning, Kate was presently big-spooning her little doe, their hands intertwined yet again. They weren't really doing anything, just basking.

So it was a bit of a surprise when Kate suddenly heard Max speak again, breaking the incredibly pleasant silence. "Is there something on your mind, Angel?" She'd heard Chloe using the nickname and felt like it was all too appropriate, and decided to adopt it. She had so many titles, it was good to finally use one on somebody else.

Today had been a good day, and Kate was confused for a moment. But she knew Max was an observant one, with a serious eye for mood, as if she could read your mind. It occurred to her that this question may have been in the works for a while. And she could think of only one thing that had been truly troubling her the last few weeks. She chose her words carefully. "Does it bum you guys out? The... abstinence thing?"

"Nah..." The reply was fast, and perhaps Max felt the need to qualify it properly. "Chloe and Victoria are confused by it most days, I think. But they don't hold it against you. But you've got your morals and you stick to them. No one can fault you for being as strong as iron. We respect it." Kate trusted Max's intuition on these things and her body relaxed again. Feeling that this was probably the kind of conversation one should have face-to-face, Max turned around so that she could look at her girlfriend properly. "You've been thinking about it a lot, huh?"

Kate nodded and looked into Max's eyes. Those curious, trustworthy eyes that told her everything would be fine, that just wanted to know what made the world tick. If there was anyone she could bounce her thoughts off, it was Max. "When you go from being a good Christian girl to a good Christian- **ish** girl with three girlfriends, you do a lot of research to try and make it all make sense. Thankfully the Internet is a thing." She could see Max looking at her with what seemed to be a sense of pride.

"Um, so... Well, anyway, I made peace with loving you guys fast enough. Like, I could rattle off hundreds of Bible passages about love. That part came pretty easily. It was less easy to figure out the no-sex thing. I actually started to get worried, because so many people were so excited when I mentioned our relationship, but jumped down my throat when I said I was still abstinent." She felt Max's fingers began to run through her hair and it helped keep her calm.

"No one could understand how I had three people in my life but couldn't get further than cuddling. And truthfully, I couldn't make it make sense, ethically. I didn't judge any of you for what you did. And sometimes I even like... well... being in the room..." Here she paused and blushed as a few particularly potent memories came back. "But when I actually try to put myself in the equation, I start feeling ill."

Max was actually becoming concerned that Kate's story didn't have any sort of happy ending. But after another pause, she continued. "Finally, I got a private message from someone who saw my posts. They asked if maybe I was asexual. I didn't have a clue what that even meant, but one quick Google search later and... and I was sobbing..." Max was drawn into the story now, eyes wide and fearful. Were the three of them torturing Kate? Was she hurting that bad?

"Bad sobbing?"

"No, Max, I finally felt normal again. The problem wasn't an ethical one. I just... I love you guys to death. I'd do anything for any of you. You're this shining beacon of positivity, and Chloe's like this canonball of energy, and Victoria is this fabulous queen. I could go on about how much you all mean to me! But... it's like the urges just don't exist for me. I'd take a bullet for you, just don't ask me to go down on you."

Max gasped and her worried frown turned into a shriek of delight, followed rapidly by a series of kisses all over Kate's face. "Kate! Listen to you~" Max practically purred with delight and curled in against her Angel. "I really like that you're finding yourself. And I think the others will be a lot more likely to understand if you put it to them like that. After all, you're Kate, our precious cinnamon roll. We'd move heaven and earth if someone so much as looked at you wrong."

It felt amazing to get everything off her chest, but not nearly as good as it did to hear the way Max supported her.

"Wait, cinnamon roll?"

"Yeah, sorry, I've been spending too much time on Tumblr lately~"


	4. The Ice Queen Cometh

**[Hey all you fabulous lads, lasses, and others out there! Thanks so much for sticking with me thus far on Arcadia Gays. Just wanted to throw out there that this story is probably about the most 'adult' I'm ever going to get, which is not very much at all. Also, I'm really proud of this particular title pun, even if it is also kinda gross]**

Victoria stepped hesitantly into the house. It wasn't her first time here, but it was her first time alone with Chloe in this place. When it was just them, things had a tendency to get explosive. The only question was which kind of explosive. Sexy explosive good, argument explosive bad. Sexy explosive when her parents were around, super bad. Victoria also had a serious dislike when it came to being outside of her territory. And today in particular, the deal they'd made left her at Chloe's mercy. Victoria Chase did not bottom.

But a bet was a bet, and she had lost. Who could really blame her for being so certain that sweet innocent Kate had a wild side? She was sure that her and Max were fucking on the reg, and then she had to go and come out to them as ace? That had been an incredibly tough day, wanting to be supportive and understanding, all the while having to look at that smug, shit-eating grin on Chloe's face.

The rules had been simple enough. If Victoria won, she'd get to decide Chloe's ensemble for an entire week. Oh, how she relished the mental image of putting that blue-haired monster in a cardigan and skirt. Chloe Price in heels. Just thinking about it did... _things_ to her. But she'd lost, and now she was forced to sit there while Chloe gave her whatever dye job she wanted. Same rules applied, she had to keep the look for a week. Ugh, this was going to be murder on her outfit options, no matter what Chloe chose.

Chloe's eager voice shocked her out of her thoughts. "C'mon, Chase, I know it's a little dumpy, but nothing bad is gonna happen!" Victoria closed the door behind her and followed Chloe upstairs. Victoria found it even harder to step foot in Chloe's room, but she knew deep down she was just reverting to old ways as a defense mechanism. She wasn't stupid. Chloe apparently noticed the worry on her face, because she suddenly turned on the charm and pulled Victoria in for a gentle cuddle and a brief, sincere smile. "Hey, this is all just in good fun. If this is really screwing with you, we can stop, no harm, no foul."

The offer was appreciated, but the Chase name was on the line here. As much as she might have appreciated the 'get out of jail free' card, she just couldn't take the deal. It was hard to be the old, bitter Victoria when Chloe was looking at her with that face. "No, it's okay. I... know you'd never do anything to actually ruin my reputation. You know what you're doing. ...but tell anyone I admitted that, and I will end you."

"You're so sexy when you're threatening my life..." Chloe grinned and drew Tori into a tight kiss. But there was work to be done, and the embrace ended to soon. "Now, I know your wardrobe is precious to you, so I'd recommend stripping."

Fuck. She was still a tad fuzzy from the tonal shift, and her hands seemed to be moving of their own accord, pulling away her sweater and blouse before she properly thought through what was happening. It was a constant problem on their end of the relationship. Putting two natural tops together meant they were never not struggling for supremacy. But the very nature of the afternoon's plans meant that Victoria was under Chloe's spell, whether she liked it or not.

Okay, so she kinda liked it.

It occurred to her that even the underwear she'd worn that day was precious. After much humming and pouting, she caved and got completely nude before wrapping herself in a towel, to Chloe's **very** obvious delight. It was hardly the first time Chloe had been privy to her bare body, but this was the first time she'd seen her looking so awkward about it.

As with before, she knew full well how vulnerable she was at the moment, how easy it would have been for Chloe to dig in. But the punk rock princess was showing admirable restraint and simply led her into the bathroom by the hand where everything was already set up. A well-worn chair sat with its back against the sink and she was directed to sit. The whole gentle atmosphere was going a long way to easing Victoria's worries. Sometimes she forgot just how much tenderness Chloe was capable of. So often she was bouncing off the walls like her entire life was a mosh pit.

As Chloe launched in, Victoria slowly began to gain an appreciation for the bullshit that went into maintaining that mane of colorful hair. All the little details, all the time it took. She spent so much time on so many other aspects of her aesthetic, she couldn't imagine adding the trouble of coloring her hair so constantly. "I'm guessing I'll have to wait until this is all over to find out what exactly you're doing to me?"

"Naturally, Princess. That's half the fun, the sudden reveal, she squeal of delight, the way you tell me how amazing and brilliant I am. I really think you're gonna dig it..." Chloe's voice was still soft, her hands gentle. Clearly the bet they had was little more than a front anymore. They were far enough into this relationship that she didn't actually have any intention of making her girlfriend look ridiculous.

Victoria's eyes closed slowly as they continued chatting. "What do you think our little ones do on their tea dates anyway?"

"Well, we know what they're **not** doing now, don't we?" Both girls got a good laugh out of that, not so much at Kate's expense as the shared realization that sometimes nothing about them as a group made sense. Rumors aside, there was no ignoring just how much Chloe and Tori had slept around. Max was understandably pretty exclusive with her affections. And Kate tended to funnel her energies into other means of connection. But it worked, somehow. "Really, I'm sure it's exactly what you think it is. Max plays some of her hipster garbage and they talk about classes and cuddle up together and goddammit I wanna just squeeze the shit out of them they're so adorable!"

Victoria winced as Chloe's cuteness overload caused her to pull her hair a little. "Hey! Save that shit for the bedroom Price."

"Just helping you adjust, sweetness, the bleaching process could be fine, or it could sting like hell. Sorry, I probably should have warned you sooner..." Again, the earnest way Chloe apologized was a surprise.

"It's fine. I'm a big girl, I can take it."

"Should I be instituting a safe-word?"

Victoria wanted to be angry about that, but she couldn't stop the smirk from gracing her lips. Despite the warning, the process was ultimately pretty painless. Time-consuming, yes, but that was sort of to be expected. Finally Chloe gave her the all-clear.

Feeling daring, Victoria opted to press her luck a little bit. "I could probably use some help washing this stuff out..."

Chloe's face lit up with a mixture of surprise and excitement. They'd done quite a bit together, but this was new. "My dear, I would be delighted~" In moments, both were free of their clothing and crammed together in the shower. The added benefit was that she was able to see the final look of Victoria's hair before Princess did herself. And yes, it was a masterpiece. And yes, it was very hot.

Victoria, for her part, did take note of the color draining from her hair and staining the water. Or, more accurately, the lack thereof. She didn't know much about this stuff, but she was fairly certain the water was supposed to look like an alien crime scene, depending on the choice of dye her girlfriend had opted for. She could see some lovely shade of light blue, but there wasn't much of it.

Both were tempted to use the shower as a chance to get out some of the sexual tension, but they were also stubborn. Victoria wanted to know what the damage was, and Chloe wanted to see the girl's face. The shower remained shockingly chaste, and before she knew it she was back in the middle of the bathroom clad only in a towel around her chest. The mirror was fogged, and she could feel her heart thumping a little harder as Chloe tenderly dried her hair and made sure it was back in its perfect state. It had to be perfect. "Okay, Princess. Go for it."

Victoria approached the mirror and reached out a perfectly manicured hand to wipe away the gathered condensation. She had really been trying to keep the drama to a minimum, but she couldn't keep herself from letting out a little gasp. Almost immediately Chloe's arms were wrapping around her stomach and she peppered her exposed flesh with kisses galore. "I felt like it was time for our Princess to get an upgrade to Ice Queen~"

Her hair was already pretty light, but now it was about as white as could be, the tips shaded a light blue. Her lips curled into a smile that was equal parts childish delight and seductive wickedness. "Chloe Price, you are..." Shit, she couldn't even find the words. Luckily, she didn't really have to. She gave a perfect ballerina spin so that she and Chloe were face to face, a fire building in her eyes. "Bedroom. Now." Clearly, any previous hesitations about going in Chloe's chambers were now gone.

"Your wish is my command, M'lady." Chloe effortlessly lifted Victoria in her arm and escorted her, with only minor stumbling, down the hall and back into her bedroom. The towels were discarded in a flash and they tumbled down onto the mattress, locked in each others' arms. Victoria guided Chloe onto her back and straddled her hips atop her knees. The Ice Queen looked down at her with that smirk that never failed to drive her wild. Hands pinned hands into place and Victoria took what was rightfully hers as ruler.

She had no doubt she was overdoing it a little bit, though she wasn't hearing any complaints from her bedmate. But after all her fears that she was losing control for an afternoon, finding out that the truth was anything but, she just couldn't seem to help herself. And watching Chloe struggle as she had to beg and plead for every scrap was just so _**cute**_.

The Ice Queen was a fair ruler, of course, and when their playtime came to an end, she cuddled Chloe fiercely and told her what a good girl she was and played with her hair. There had been a lot of tension to work through, and the afterglow seemed last almost as long as anything else. The blue haired beauty was emerging slowly from sub-space, but eventually she seemed to come around, her breathing slowing, her cheeks losing their reddish tinge. "Gonna be honest, that was a surprise. Like, I'm always down to clown, but I really didn't think you'd react so... I mean, goddamn, Chase!"

Victoria could only laugh as she placed a gentle kiss against her forehead. "Me neither, Price." They were back to last-name basis. This was normal for the two, a way to completely avoid the subject of how crazy they were for one another. "But you rolled with it like a champ."

They continued to cuddle and spoon and whisper sweet-ish semi-nothings when the sound of the front door snapped them back to reality. "Shit, Joyce," Chloe hissed.

Trying to keep Chloe from losing her cool, Tori just shrugged, wanting to build her back up to her usual 'couldn't give two shits' attitude. "Guess I'd better stay for dinner so we don't raise any alarms..."

"Actually, I was kinda thinking we should go crash Marshfield's tea party, drag them out somewhere for dinner that isn't The Two Whales. I wanna see their reaction to your new 'do."

Victoria squealed and gave Chloe a playful shove. "Marshfield. God, you're such a secret nerd! I'm telling them. They'll know the truth that Literally Too Cool for School Price ships her own girlfriends."

There was a long pause before Chloe spoke up, "...how the fuck do you know what shipping is?"

"...fuck."


	5. Interlude

When Victoria and Chloe finally managed to get their asses in gear to go crash Kate and Max's tea date, they really hadn't expected to walk in on the two of them spooning. She recalled with some amusement Chloe's minor rage earlier in the day about how cute the two could be together, and here was the proof. Judging by the baggie of tea sitting there next to the incredibly dorky hotplate and kettle, they'd indulged in some Sleepy-Time Tea and proceeded to collapse in Max's bed for a nap.

Victoria wanted to keep the moment from being spoiled, mostly by Chloe, and held a finger to her lips. Tip-toeing carefully to the bed, she sat beside them and rubbed each of their arms in turn. "Hey. Sleepyheads~"

Their rousing was naturally as heartwarming as their sleeping. Kate came to first, rubbing the sleep from her eyes before gaping at Victoria's altered hair. She pawed at Max's shoulder a few times. "Max... Maxie..."

"I swear to Dog, someone or something had better be on fire, because I was in the middle of an amazing dr-" Max stopped short, halfway toward a seated position when she caught sight of it as well. "Well, you're not on fire, but this qualifies as an excuse to get up. I didn't know what to expect, but seriously, Chlo, you've outdone yourself!"

Both girls took turns running their fingers through her icy hair, cooing and commenting on how amazing it was. Victoria was soaking up the attention and Chloe just stood there looking smug and basking in the compliments on her work. They seemed to finally be coming around to the waking world, Max stumbling about like a fawn while Kate gave a few stretches and squeaked when her spine popped slightly.

"You losers wanna get some grub? Victoria's treat..."

"I never agreed to that, Price!" Her tone changed almost immediately when she found herself staring down three sets of puppy-dog eyes. "Oh, this is the _epitome_ of unfair! Fine, but I get to pick where we go."

The four bustled around between rooms as Max and Kate changed up their outfits to match the undoubtedly classy establishment Victoria would undoubtedly pick. Despite winning the bet, even Chloe allowed herself to get talked into borrowing some clothing – jeans that weren't ripped along with a shirt and tie. She drew the line at heels though, despite Tori's pouting, and stubbornly opted for a pair of kicks instead. _Well, at least they're not steel-toed boots_ , Victoria consoled herself quietly. She took solace in the face that she looked stunning as ever in her little black dress ensemble. "C'mon, we better make sure Marshfield look respectable enough."

Chloe smirked, "Secret nerd."

"You love it."

Surprisingly, the tinier pair had really outdone themselves. Max, like Chloe, was the more fashion-challenged, and apparently owned nothing in the way of girly clothing. So it was that the four found themselves in two separate pairings. Chloe in her dashing tie, and Max in a collored shirt, plaid naturally, with black pants.

Then there was the perfect Victoria with her black dress and newly dyed hair, and Kate... Well. Kate. Kate had... transformed. Even after things in her life had calmed down, Kate had the kind of face that made her look like she was always tired, always on the verge of crying, despite her generally upbeat attitude. But when she emerged from her room, she was like a new woman. Her normally frumpy hair had been removed from its bun and now hung around her face in wavy curls. The Angel of Blackwell was dressed simply enough in a white floral sundress with a pair of sandals that had just the slightest heels to them. Victoria was grateful that everyone else was also staring in awe so that no one saw the incredibly embarrassing wide-eyed look on her face as her heart leapt into her throat.

She had seen Kate as she so often was, and that was something special enough. She had seen Kate at her worst, and she prayed she would never have to go through that again. But she wasn't sure if she'd ever seen the girl at her best before. And it was a sight to behold. She attempted to speak and felt her voice hitch in her chest. She gave an awkward cough to clear her throat before trying again. "H-Hey, Maxie, you have your camera, yes? We have to make sure someone can take a picture of us tonight. We may not all look this fabulous together for a while. And no hiding behind that camera!"

It was moments like this where they all remembered separately how this happened in the first place. Each of them had become wholly invested in their own way. Chloe chuckled as she threw an arm around Max, and with surprising bravery Kate grabbed at Victoria's hand and they made their way out of the dormitories to the parking lot. It was understood that the Tank really wasn't going to cut it for a night like this. So Max and Chloe piled into the slightly crammed backseat of Victoria's fancy-ass ride, Kate took shotgun, and Victoria climbed in behind the wheel.

As Tori put on some agreeable soft music and pulled the car away from Blackwell, she noticed that her nervousness really hadn't died down just yet. Everyone understood that this was essentially their first true date as a group, but no one really knew what to say about that fact. Still, now was hardly the time to really delve into the dynamics of their relationship or whatever. She was just looking for a nice way to end this shockingly endearing day.

Kate had apparently caught sight of the cuddlers in the back, because Victoria suddenly felt the girl take her hand. Not exactly the safest driving practice, but it wasn't as if they were taking the most treacherous roads. So she let Kate continue to hold her hand adorably as she drove. Everyone seemed equally perplexed as to where exactly they were headed. Wherever it was, it was a ways out of town. The sun had just sunk below the horizon as she pulled up in front of the stately club house of the local golf course. It always amused her that these places had such an unassuming name, considering this was where the biggest names in the Bay came to be fancy and show off. Her family, the Prescotts, the mayor, the business owners, everyone who was anyone.

Chloe's face popped up through the seats from the back of the car, one hand resting on Victoria's shoulder, the other on Kate's. "Holy shit, Chase, you gotta be kidding me. Is this like a joke before you take us wherever you were really planning to go?"

Max's voice piped up "Yeah, Tori, you're not... seriously going to treat us _here_ , are you? Isn't it like... a million bucks a plate or whatever?"

Considering how often Victoria had eaten brunch here over the years, it was easy to forget what kind of status _The Schooner_ had. She didn't want to completely rub her queen bee status in their faces, but she could hardly help the smirk that came to her lips. "Ladies, you are dating a Chase. It's time you saw the true benefits besides getting to stare at my amazing ass."

They all climbed out of the car and stretched before approaching the intimidating building. "And no, we're members, so we eat for free. As do guests. Come. Tonight, we are all Queens of Arcadia Bay." Despite the rousing speech, the others were still nervous about walking inside. They had all done their best to look appropriate, but now they saw the seams in their looks. But Victoria's confidence was contagious, and before long they were all striding in time, looking like quite the quartet.

A mustachioed man in a tux with a stick incredibly far up his ass apparently named Francois showed the girls into the dining area. Just to ensure him there were no hard feelings, Victoria made sure to throw a tip his way. "The Chase family appreciates your discretion~" With his mood significantly lightened, he acquiesced to her petition for one of the corner booths. This way the four were able to seat themselves together, with Max and Kate in the middle, Chloe taking her spot possessively next to Max leaving Victoria to cuddle up to Kate.

After the initial shock passed from the gathered diners, things settled down. Only Max's hand placed firmly on Chloe's knee kept her from making a scene. Kate was fairly certain the intense scowl from Victoria helped too. It was hard to stare when those eyes were piercing you right back!

Victoria's glare eventually switched off, and out came the charm to take its place. From there, the benefits just kept rolling in. They managed to get themselves a bottle of champagne on little more than a wink and a nod. Despite the potential Health Department trouble, Chloe managed to get her steak "mooing" as she so elegantly asked their waiter. Somehow they were given a second bottle of champagne. Somewhere in the midst of their meal, Kate did her best impression of Chloe yelling at her old pastor, but with the alcohol in her system she actually managed to be louder than the real Chloe. Max boasted to the others about Victoria's photo exhibit for class, and only shut up when Tori physically clamped a hand over her mouth. Their waitress actually seemed to appreciate the life they brought to the otherwise stuffy establishment, and was more than happy to snap a picture for them.

And all the while, everyone pretty much ignored the table of loud teenage girls. It was far easier to grin and bear a bit of youthful mischief than have to deal with a drunk, angry Chase. Again, she did at least try and make up for it with another hefty tip left on the table. But considering the amazing night they were having, it was far cheaper than going to any normal restaurant. They walked out of the joint arm in arm (in arm in arm), and between the four of them, managed to make one semi-graceful human conglomerate.

Thankfully, of the four, Victoria was the one who drank the least and could arguably hold her liquor the best (though if pressed, she damn sure wouldn't challenge Chloe to a drinking contest). It wasn't the best idea in the world to drive, but they hadn't cracked the code of breaking Victoria's pride yet. "Hush, I'll drive nice and easy, we'll stick to the back roads, no worries..."

As she was pulling away from the parking lot, she realized that they hadn't really decided where to go yet. Blackwell was easier to get back to, but Chloe did have a more sizable mattress fit for cuddle piles. "So what's the plan? Shenanigans or crashing?"

The duo in the backseat both chimed in with a "Crashing..." in the half-hearted voices of two young women close to passing out. "Yeah, I should probably check in on Alice." Well, Chloe's truck was back at Blackwell. Perhaps that would make a good pit stop at least. The drive back was a good deal more mellow now that their bellies were full of delicious food and expensive drink. Tori attempted to get back to campus as quick as possible without driving dangerously, as she could tell the two in the back were fading fast. Only Kate seemed to be surprisingly wide awake. She didn't really have the ability to look at her intently yet, but she could swear she seemed almost anxious.

Finally the crew returned, and with some difficulty managed to get themselves inside. Clearly, Chloe's bed would have to wait for another day because no one looked capable of walking another ten feet. Almost on reflex Max pulled Chloe into her dorm, waving goodbye and goodnight with a sleepy mumble that was impossible to translate. Victoria gave Kate a tight hug and a broad smile. "Night, Angel... Tonight was amazing..."

She went to pull away only to find that Kate's arms were still tightly fastened around her torso and her grip wasn't loosening. _Oh shit..._ Kate's face wasn't really visible at the moment, but she could hear the girl's voice – soft, trembling, tentative, nervous.

"Can we talk?"

 _Oh shit._


	6. Prime Directive

Kate really had no idea why she had to go and be a big weirdo about this. Admittedly everyone gave her a pretty wide berth when it came to odd behavior. Sometimes trauma took a while to heal. But even she knew this was over the top. Sure, there was alcohol involved, and she was exhausted from doing so much stuff that day. But there was so much more to it than that. She was really only vaguely aware of Victoria's surprisingly gentle touch as her keys were taken from her and they shuffled together into her room.

The icy haired girl moved with such caution, it was as though she was terrified Kate might shatter. Granted, everyone sort of treated her with kid gloves, no matter how much time passed. But still, this felt different – not pity, but genuine concern. It was a nice change of pace, even if it wasn't particularly dramatic. Without even bothering to turn on the lights, she was guided to her bed and pulled in for some affectionate snuggling. The room was lit only by whatever managed to filter in through the window, and it really felt kind of romantic. Kate was still trying to determine if that was good or bad.

As Victoria gently played with her hair and gave her the space she needed, Kate forced herself to slow her breathing. She had no clue how much time had passed, or even what time it was when they first reached the dorm. The clock on the bedside table was out of view, and frankly she didn't have the energy to move the few inches necessary to check.

Why did this always have to happen to her? Why did everything have to morph into such a huge deal? Why couldn't she process things like a normal human being? "I'm sorry, Tori..."

"That's okay, Angel."

That honestly surprised her. She was usually told she didn't have anything to apologize for, or she'd be pressed on why exactly she was apologizing. Usually it was just reflex, and those responses always felt so condescending. It was nice to just be forgiven, even if the truth was that it really was nothing. "Thanks. I just wasn't ready to be alone yet. Which is weird for me, I normally crave alone time." There was another pause as she continued to put together the various pieces scattered about her mind. "And I had no desire to butt in on Max and Chloe. But... It wasn't a respect thing. Like I didn't want to somehow become a third wheel, just the background to their thing."

"I get the feeling they'd be launching into some pretty heavy stuff at the moment, anyway. I can't imagine how hard that would be for you."

"Yeah, it would be weird. But what I mean... what I'm trying to say... Um..." Her face scrunched up, and even in the low light Victoria couldn't help but think how cute it was. "Do you ever feel like we're still just background characters in their grand adventure?"

"They were childhood friends, and then they suddenly met up again in the midst of that whole... Thing. I'm still iffy on a lot of the details, and dubious about the superhero-y stuff. But I guess it's natural that their connection would be the deepest." Victoria pulled at her as she spoke, and Kate accepted, until they were face to face. She felt a hand at her cheek and she absentmindedly nuzzled into it. "It's alright if your thoughts come out a little scattered. Just try your best to throw it all out there and see what sticks..."

Kate swallowed and looked back at her, smiling nervously. "I've learned so much these last few months, mostly just self-taught stuff from various articles and forums. It's a force of habit. I want to know what I've gotten myself into. Max and Chloe, they're primaries. Given the choice, they'll always stick to each other first."

There was an outline of an idea forming here, and Victoria could kind of see where this might be going, but she didn't want to steal her little saint's thunder.

"And maybe... I'm a little tired of being secondary. Max saved my life, but she's saved Chloe's at least five different times. Chloe freaked out at my old church and rescued me from that place. But y-you..." She paused and took a deep breath, shuddering and full of doubt. "By Halloween, you were my one-woman defense squad. No one dared mess with me anymore. I was a made woman. And when we joined Max and Chloe, we finally made up properly, over the whole tape chaos. But I was only able to do that because you were like my guardian angel already."

The urge to reply to Kate, to say anything and everything, was growing stronger by the second. But miraculously, Victoria Chase held her tongue.

"I've gotten to know the real Victoria these last few months." She could still recall all the little things that finally made sense, only after the fact. How much Victoria was hurting inside. How clearly terrified she was of losing control, of being ditched by all her friends. The thing that always stuck out most in Kate's mind was Victoria's faith in Nathan Prescott. In much the same way, Tori stuck by Nathan's side no matter how difficult things got. That was the moment she began to wonder if the two girls might actually be friends some day. But she never imagined she would make it so far, so quickly. The question was if she could make that final push to the finish line, so to speak.

Kate seemed to retreat into her mind again for a moment, and Victoria gave her a gentle nuzzle, forehead to forehead. "Katie?"

"Sorry, I'm... I'm almost done. I promise..." She laughed nervously, and she was glad to see Victoria smiling back at her, even if she was still clearly confused. "The real Victoria Chase is no ice princess, no queen bee. She is precise, thoughtful, careful, open... She's sweet and beautiful. And I'm finally at a point where I'm able to put things back together in my own way, at my own pace, however I want, not by anyone else's rules. Kate Marsh is leaving the background. And... I want you by my side. I want to be able to depend on your strength."

 _You can do this, Kate. It's only been on your mind for weeks now._ "I want... what those two dorks in the other room have. That certainty." Finally she forced herself to stop talking so that Victoria could actually get a word in edgewise. A feeling of peace passed over her. She'd said it. Even if it wasn't really meant to be, she would still gladly continue what the four of them had. Things might just be a little weird for a bit.

There was a brief silence as Victoria studied her. Okay, maybe she wasn't completely at peace yet. There was always the possibility that this could blow up in her face. But she was really trying to let herself believe things again. She could only lay there and wait in the meantime.

Very slowly, very carefully, Victoria shuffled forward until there was no more room left between them. Her arms wrapped around Kate's neck and she felt her face flush. Her eyes shut tight, and she found herself pressed into the most intimate kiss of her life. It wasn't deep or passionate, there weren't any fireworks. But it was steady and it lingered for ages. And when it ended, she found Victoria was still pressed as close to her as ever.

"Katie, that... The whole thing. With the video. There's something I never admitted, even to you. Not even to myself. I couldn't believe the obvious truth, that you would never act that way, that you had been drugged. I was blinded by my friendship to Nathan. I was at that party, I saw you firsthand, suddenly coming out of your shell, tongue-kissing all those guys. And I was mad, more than anything. I was... _jealous_. All those people, and you never kissed me."

Kate's mind was blown. This was definitely not something she had seen coming. It felt like her heart had stopped beating entirely.

"I wanted to hurt you so bad. So I told everyone about it. I spread that video to every place I could. And for a while, I thought, you know, mission accomplished. You'd been taken down a peg. But then you... t-the roof... and... and I... I-I-I put you there." Victoria took a shuddering breath, and Kate became aware that both of them were in tears at this point. She had tried to play this conversation out in her head a hundred different ways, and she never imagined she'd hear this kind of confession.

"I wasn't your guardian angel. I was just a jealous bitch who felt guilty for letting her revenge turn into straight-up attempted murder." The icy haired beauty took another unsteady breath. There was another long pause where neither of them spoke. Everything was so up in the air at that moment. "That Victoria you're talking about, she's a recent development. I fucked up so hard, and I wanted to be better. I wanted to be like you."

So... was that a yes or a no? It was a stupid thing to think in that moment. Both of them were so freaking fragile. A light breeze could have broken either girl into a pile of shards. But perhaps together they could make a decent attempt at being more than scatted pieces held together with duct tape. "As iron sharpens iron..." Kate whispered, mostly to herself.

Victoria looked at her quizzically. "What?"

"Sorry, Bible passages still flutter through my mind without warning. Old habits are hard to break. What I mean is... maybe it's okay... if neither of us is exactly who people think we are. My health, my sanity, my faith, they're still totally all over the place. Every day is like a gamble, I never know what to expect. But I'm trying. I'm really trying. And you're trying too. So all that mushy stuff aside, what I really want to know is if you want to... try together. All four of us, but also, sometimes, just the two of us. We missed the apocalypse and now we're back to life as normal." Slowly Kate's eyes closed and she nestled in against Tori with a little sigh. "I thought I was just being a love-sick dork. But... we're more alike than either of us could have imagined. So what do you say?"

Once more, there was a disturbingly long pause, though Kate at least tried to take solace in the hope that this meant Victoria was weighing all this information as carefully as possible. "As long as you don't mind me thinking you're a perfect angel once in a while, I guess I can stand the idea of you worshiping the ground I walk on..."

Kate giggled, bright and bashful, and it was like music to Victoria's ears. More so as her little saint buried herself into Victoria's chest even more, trying and failing to hide. "Tori~! I'm trying to be serious here..."

Her bashfulness was no match for the hand that cupped her chin and pulled her away from her hiding spot. "So am I, Marsh." Kate could see that Victoria had managed to compose herself and regained her regal face, her eyes like ice. There was still a lot that Kate had yet to understand about herself and how her attraction worked, but she was fairly certain that this was what they called 'hot'. "I can be demanding. But I think you're up to the challenge." Kate saw with some amusement that her Ice Queen was a little too tired to maintain this facade for very long, her face melting back into a look of sheer affection.

"Yes, I think it's time we gave Pricefield a run for their money in the adorableness department. I would be happy to call you my... what was it you said...? My _primary_."

Kate couldn't contain herself and gave a squeal of joy, her grip on Victoria tightening once more. The embrace was short-lived as she realized they were both still in their formal attire, and it was quite clearly time to catch some sleep. "We can work out the rest. For now, I'm about five minutes from crashing. Is it safe to assume you'd like to bunk with me for the night?"

"Of course, Angel." While Kate had every intention of getting out of the bed and changing into her pajamas, it seemed that Tori had other ideas. She felt hands moving slowly to pull her dress away from her body, and linked eyes with the other girl. "Is this alright?"

"Yes, thank you. I'll be sure to stop you if you overdo it." Kate appreciated that more than words could accurately describe. She'd only just started to figure out her needs and barriers, and Victoria was already quick enough to ask and move with patience. With the all-clear given, her dress was pulled away, her shoes removed, followed quickly by her bedmate's attire. This was most definitely her most intimate cuddling session so far, but there weren't any red flags going off in her mind. She was happy and warm and safe.

With her back pressed against Victoria's chest, arms around her stomach, she drifted off in an instant. The last thing she felt was a pair of lips pressing themselves to her cheek. "I... love you Angel. I really do."

"...I-I love you too, my Queen..."


	7. Anxiety by Moonlight

Kate's worries were understandable but ultimately unnecessary. Max escorted Chloe into her room where the two managed to get as far as undressing and collapsing into bed, and that was about it. There was a touch of drunk, sleepy pawing, but they were still too full of food and drink to do much else. Things were soon peaceful and silent, and they had absolutely nothing to do in the morning, which meant an opportunity to sleep in and then resume their private time.

Well, that was the plan anyway. Chloe should have known that things were never so simple. Instead of waking up to sunlight and birds chirping, she was pulled from her deep sleep by the sound of Max crying out in fright. She shot up to a seated position, fast as lightning, and looked to see what the trouble was. Her natural inclination was to assume that there was someone in the room with them, and she had to hit the breaks to keep from reaching under the bed for a baseball bat. _No, idiot, this is Max's room. There aren't any weapons within a hundred yards. She's not a paranoid weirdo like you._

Though the scream had been brief, she turned to see that Max was still sitting there, hand to her chest, her breathing rapid and uneven. _Shit, this hasn't happened in weeks. I thought she was doing better._ With practiced movements she wrapped her arms around her little fawn and held her. Her fingers worked their way through sandy locks and she whispered to her softly. "Easy, Max, easy. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. You can do this." She repeated the various mantra over and over, knowing there wasn't a whole lot either of them could do except weather the storm.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. We were... We... We were doing so good. Shit. I'm sorry. No. I-I'll be okay. Sorry." Max just kept apologizing, and her girlfriend could only squeeze her tighter.

"You're golden, Mad Max. Hey. C'mon. Breathing contest. Heh. Bet you can't breathe better than me." No matter how dire things got, Chloe always had a way of turning things into a joke or a game. The secret, she had discovered, was to do so in a way that was proactive instead of just ruining everything. She took overly belabored and deep breaths, moving her hand like a conductor to guide the other girl into joining her. In, hold, out. In, hold, out. She could feel the hipter waif slowing down against her until they were breathing in time. She gave another squeeze and nuzzled her softly. "You win, you always do..."

She finally heard Max give a nervous laugh and she released a sigh of relief. "Same dream?" It was particularly bad right after that shit week in October. When you watched the girl you loved die a hundred different ways, that kinda shit didn't go away. It took some time to wrap her mind around it, all that alternate universe stuff. The thing was, it wasn't that Max had fixed her, no harm no foul. If she understood correctly, that part of her still existed in some other world. This Chloe was alive only because those other Chloe's were dead. At least one of them had been killed by Max's own hand. Shot, stabbed, crushed, strangled. It was agreed from then on that Chloe needed to be careful.

"Same dream..."

Chloe would punch the fuck out of any motherfucker that dared mess with her girl. But you couldn't haymaker a dream. You couldn't dropkick a panic attack. She hated to see Max upset, but what else could you do when Max was the one making Max upset? Eventually the sunk back down against the pillows and drew the blankets up tight, forming their own little coccoon to shut out the rest of the world. Any more sleep would come with extreme difficulty, but at least they were together. Max was clinging to her for dear life, head pressed to her chest, and for a while things were silent as peace settled over them once more.

"Chloe, I love you."

"I love you too, Max, I always have, I always will."

"No, I mean..." here Max seemed to puzzle over her thoughts a moment. " _I love you_. I love Kate, and I love Victoria. I'm so glad that we all fit together in our weird, silly ways. But at the end of the day, it's still you. Just you. That's what Kate and I were talking about today, while you were working on Victoria's hair. And Kate was just so perfect about it, and understanding. She said that kind of thing happened sometimes, depending on the relationship. Something about primary affection or whatever. I don't know, I know you're not always great about labels. Kate said she and Victoria had some things to work through, but that she understood, and she got this look and..." Max apparently felt she was getting off topic and attempted to wrangle herself back around. "Anyway, I know it doesn't actually change anything. I just want you to know you'll always be my captain..."

Max was right, of course, that Chloe had no interest in changing a single thing about what they did or how they acted. It was tough enough for her to use the word 'girlfriend'. What was very important, however, was the fact that Max said what she said. That was generally all she needed in these situations. It was extra rad when it was something she didn't know she needed until it was said. Even after her rewind powers disappeared, Max had a way of saying the right thing. "Aye, first mate. I know exactly what you mean. And I _love_ -love you too. It makes sense, how long we've known each other, all the antics, all the drama. We know now that there's inexplicable shit out there, so no matter how different we are, we're like... linked."

Wait, what was that other thing? "Kate and Victoria, huh? I honestly did not see that coming." She chuckled. It did make a kind of sense. Kind of. A little.

"I did. Even after they were already dating us, there was a lot of little looks and touches and secrets. It was very sweet to watch it play out, and I think Kate saw today as her chance to hit it out of the park, go big or go home, that sort of thing."

"You think she hit it outta the park?"

"We'll probably have to wait until tomorrow at the earliest to find out. But I suspect they'll work it out. Victoria talks a big game, but she jumped on the 'Protect Kate' bandwagon megaquick. I mean, honestly, beyond the obvious exceptions, they're a little like me and you..."

At that, Chloe found a number of images flashing in front of her mind, and her head became filled with ideas. Not all of them were necessarily safe for work.

Max recognized the look instantly and turned to look at her with a mix of worry and curiosity. "I know that look, Ms. Price. What've you got rattling around in your noggin?"

"My noggin is a place of purity and innocence, Caulfield, and I am appalled that you would make any suggestion to the contrary." It was good to see just how quickly Max could bounce back. Admittedly it sucked that the subtext meant that she had grown used to having panic attacks. But life refused to ever be totally normal for any of them. You played the cards you were dealt.

"...dork..." Max said before burrowing more into Chloe and the bed. She had managed to work through the speedbump and was apparently being overtaken by sleep once again. Chloe gave a little yawn and joined her in falling back asleep.


	8. Destination Portland

For many, spring break meant going somewhere exotic to get away from reality for a little while. Teenagers and college kids would trek to beaches and resorts, get plastered, have sex, that sort of thing. For four nerds from Arcadia Bay, it was in many ways a chance to get more in touch with reality. The three Blackwell students had all applied to various art schools in Portland, and Chloe had no intention of sticking around in her home town any longer than she absolutely had to. So with all eyes set to the future and life in the hipster capital of the world, they decided on a road trip – if one could call being just two hours away from home a 'road trip'.

There was a great deal to be done and they were all itching to get on the road. The moment classes let out, they were back in their dorms throwing together luggage, cameras, sketchbooks and more, and heading out to meet Chloe. Arguably the most eager, Chloe was already waiting for them in the parking lot with a gigantic grin. "Come on, losers, let's get this show on the road!"

Max pouted as she haphazardly tossed all of her various bags into the bed of the truck. "Jeez, chill out Chlo, we're not even doing anything until tomorrow. Today is all about relaxation, so slow your roll..."

"Yeah, calm your tits" Victoria said with a grin and a peck on the cheek as she added her things with the others. "Not that it matters to me. Maxine's the only one who's gonna be stuck in this heap with you for two hours~"

Delicately, as she did everything else, Kate finished off the pile with her modest supplies and clung to Victoria's arm. "You be nice, Victoria Chase! This is supposed to be like... a family vacation."

"I hate to break it to you, but from my experience, this is pretty much exactly what family vacations are like. You go somewhere fun, and you argue, and you make up, and you try the local grub, and pretend to care about the museums or whatever. I'd say we're doing pretty well so far!" Max snickered and hopped into the passenger seat of the Tank. Chloe joined her behind the wheel and smirked over at Victoria. "I drive pretty hardcore, Chase, you think you can manage?"

"My baby can outpace your truck anytime, anywhere, Price!" Victoria called back, practically dragging Kate to her plush luxury car.

"T-Tori, you're not seriously gonna try and drag race her all the way to Portland, are you?"

"Chloe, so help me, if you try and race her for two hours, I'm stealing the wheel from you and driving myself..."

All button-pushing aside, once the two were separated, the drive was much more civil. Chloe and Max proceeded to battle over music supremacy, leading to a bizarre mash-up of easygoing hipster music and loud punk thrashing. Victoria's car was far more peaceful, but only because Kate was asleep for much of the ride. She would have been upset, but her angel looked so peaceful that it worked in her favor. Kate had been keeping her hair down a lot more often, and Victoria greatly appreciated that. Her own hair had since been going back to its usual color, though there was still some blue in and among the blonde hairs. She rather liked it.

Chloe and Victoria got a thrill from pushing each others' buttons, but they wouldn't dare put their little ones in danger. The two hours passed swiftly enough and they had entered Portland. As much as Max had tried to get the group to get into some adorable B&B, Victoria insisted on making use of her family's money to get them a suite at a four-star joint. It was hard to be upset about that.

It was even more difficult as they finally checked in and got a good look at their home for the week. There was a kitchen that was larger than it had any right to be, a central area with a giant television, a couch, and two more chairs. And two entire bedrooms branching off from there! Chloe dropped her duffel from her shoulder and looked at Chloe with her usual mix of amusement and genuine affection. " _Well, it's not the Ritz, but I guess it'll do~_ "

"Hey, I'm not a fucking heiress or anything. This is splurging for me too! Now, Kate gets first pick for the cuddle bed. The other room for sexy fun-times. Objections?" Trick question, of course, no one would dare stand against Kate. At least among the four girls, this had less to do with Victoria's angry face and more with Kate's sad face.

"So, basically, Chloe's bed" chirped Max, amused with herself even if no one else was. The comment earned her a sharp, pointy elbow to the ribs.

"I would resent that remark if it weren't like 95% true." She grinned and moved behind Kate to give her a gentle squeeze. "C'mon, Angel, let's get this sorted out." The two discovered that each room was itself the size of a Blackwell dorm (though with much more sizable beds) but totally indistinguishable from one another. So it was decided the early riser would take the room with windows, and the remaining room was left to those who wanted it. Of course there was bound to be a fair deal of trading over the coming days, but it was good to have at least a few labels and distinctions in place. Besides, pretty much everyone's number one favorite thing was spoiling Kate.

Naturally, Victoria joined Kate in her room and the two girls worked on neatly putting all their things away in the various drawers. Max and Chloe opted to live out of their luggage and, as the week progressed, the floor, inevitably swapping their clothes in the process.

Everyone had been convinced that they would want to hit the town that night and check out a club or something. After all, it had only been two hours, but the entire preceding week had been filled with tons of papers and tests. But the three Blackwell students were exhausted. Chloe, meanwhile, finally seemed to catch on that maybe she could only be a slacker for so long, and let Joyce give her a job at the Two Whales. She was okay at it, provided customers didn't give her too much grief. Her feet were always killing her, and pretty much anything that involved not-standing was okay by her.

Max immediately found a place that delivered chinese food and placed an order for all their favorite foods. Kate got to work setting up a cuddle pile in front of the couch before pulling Max down next to her. Chloe took her place behind Max, Victoria behind Kate, and the two watched as their girlfriends cuddled. No doubt anyone who knew their situation might have found it difficult to process, especially since the main relationships seemed to be between Chloe and Max, and Victoria and Kate. But for the two girls on the couch, there was nothing that made their day quite like watching the younger two snuggle up together. Primaries aside, they were still in it together.

Eventually the food arrived and there was a bit of moving and shuffling as everyone grabbed up their own dishes. Chloe also hooked her computer up to the hotel's TV, allowing them access to Netflix. Even two hours of travel could be exhausting, and they all seemed grateful for the downtime before a very busy week. This was as much about preparation as it was relaxation.

A comfortable silence passed over the group as they fed themselves and one another – scallion pancakes, dumplings, lo mein, and more. Kate and Max's heads slumped together, and Victoria reluctantly snuggled up to Chloe as they fell into a collective food coma, the images on the screen all but forgotten.

Only through sheer willpower did any of them manage to keep from completely passing out. After all, they had two big beds and they were currently in danger of sleeping on the floor and a couch, respectively. None of them were particularly in the mood, so they all agreed to pile onto the 'innocent cuddle bed' for their first night in the palatial hotel. After some shifting about into various states of dress, they brought in extra pillows and blankets and formed a rough but very comfortable pile on the mattress and fell asleep together.

 **[In case it weren't obvious, this one's gonna be a story arc, moreso than the last few chapters. This is also my excuse to ensure that I have some dangling story threads so that I actually have the impetus to continue writing beyond this one collection. So keep an eye out, more stuff is coming soon!]**


	9. Hipster State University

Kate was, predictably, the first one up. Even on vacation, she couldn't help but be an early riser. She moved with surprising stealth to snag a quick shower, and managed to get dressed in the small amount of light filtering in through the window. None of the other girls stirred even once, and she allowed herself a private smile of pride. Perhaps it was time for the mantle of Blackwell Ninja to pass to her? She jotted down a quick note to her girlfriends and posted it to the inside of the bedroom door before making her way down to the lobby to check out the continental breakfast.

She took a seat next to a large window with some tea and an english muffin, staring out at the pool on the other side where children were playing. She'd barely been in this city a day and already she felt a sense of calm and familiarity. She could only hope the rest of her day would go as well. With her attention drawn elsewhere, she didn't notice Victoria's entrance. The girl used the opportunity rest her hands on Kate's shoulders and massage them slowly. "You are _such_ an early riser. I adore it..." Kate had to suppress a squeak and munched on her english muffin to shield her embarrassment. The blonde returned a moment later with some assorted fruit and a cup of coffee. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Mm-hmm... I forgot how much I missed sleeping like that. All huddled up together. Warm and cozy..." She smiled and sipped at her tea, looking back bashfully at Victoria. No matter how close she got to everyone, she never totally lost her nervous demeanor.

"As much as I hate to admit it, I love it too." Victoria still hated being seen as anything but a stone-cold bitch, but yes, she had a cuddly side too. Like a teddy bear with a switchblade. "Those two really are something. And you, well. You're Kate Marsh. What else is there to say?" She just couldn't help herself, could she? Needling and pressing buttons. It drove Kate crazy – both good and bad.

The two continued discussing their plans for the day as a very sleepy Max, still dressed in pajamas, barely conscious as she sat next to Kate. She managed to mumble out something that sounded like "good morning" before digging into her waffles, alternately taking long, drawn-out sips of coffee. Kate looked back toward Victoria and the two shared a secret look of amusement. "What's the status on girlfriend number 4, Maxine?"

"Mmm, smoke break, naturally. She'll be inside soon..."

"Well, I understand she's kinda doing her own thing today anyway, so it's not a big deal. I'm not sure I understand exactly what the hell she's up to. Is it a job interview?"

Max laughed and shoved another bite of waffle in her mouth. "Mff... Um, it's one of those weird technicality things. She's got some bro-friend who owns a tattoo place. She says she's a shoe-in for a job there, that her thing today is just a formality. But I'm never sure when it's just her being cocky and when she's actually got something up her sleeve."

Kate had to agree, she was bad enough at reading people already, but Chloe remained incomprehensible to her. She smiled when she was sad, she pouted when she was excited. She joked no matter what her mood was. She tended to depend on Max to translate sometimes. Although, curiously, she was finding Victoria to be much easier to sort out. But perhaps that was just one of those ineffable things that happened the closer you got to someone? "She'll be alright. I've seen her art, it's... different. Good different. Special."

"But she doesn't know the first thing about tattooing! Or at least, not proper tattooing."

Max interjected with a little smirk. "Okay, so maybe one corner of her sleeve was done with a kit she MacGyver'd herself. But apparently on-the-job training is included. And when she finds something she actually enjoys doing, she throws her all into it. I'm confident too!"

The sound of stompy boots drew everyone's attention to Chloe's entrance as she snagged some bacon and a glass of orange juice, twirled the remaining chair around and straddled it. "I knew it. Whenever I'm out of the room, all you can do is talk about me!"

"Only sometimes, Chlo."

"Max is the main culprit, of course~" Victoria said with a smirk.

"Says the girl who asked about her interview in the first place!" Well, on the plus side, Max was finally starting to wake up. The problem was that now she was ready to be good and combative with Victoria. Even if it was all in good fun, it seemed so strange to Kate. She was less fragile now, but she still didn't fully grasp the idea of poking and prodding the ones you loved. Though... it was kind of funny, from an outside perspective. And everyone seemed to respect that she had no interest in trading blows for fun.

The handful of food Chloe had brought over was gone in an instant followed in swift succession by the coffee, which had been overly diluted with ample sugar. "Speaking of which, it's probably gonna be kind of an all day thing, so I should hit the road." Chloe popped up and spun the chair around once more, kicking it into place. She delivered a kiss to the top of each girl's head, though Max caught her off-guard by leaning back and capturing her lips instead. This drew a soft "awww" from the others. "Hush with that nonsense. I'm cool. And badass. I don't do adorable. Ever. At all." Flustered and embarrassed, Chloe made an effort to storm out and failed miserably.

The remaining girls giggled softly and finished up their own meals as they continued to chat with excitement about the day ahead of them. They'd all applied to Portlandia University, and they intended to use their break to take a spin around the campus and see what their potential future held. Max and Victoria were, naturally, hoping to get into photography professionally. Kate was a little more uncertain, since much of her life seemed to be rooted in uncertainty these days, and she'd been eyeing both art and religious studies. It sucked to think they might not be in the same classes anymore, but even being at the same school would be amazing. And they had other plans in the works as well.

All agreed that public transit seemed a bit too terrifying for a bunch of first-timers and opted to take Victoria's ride. Kate looked over a stack of papers she had with a wistful sigh. "I wish I'd started going to Blackwell sooner. It feels like we'll be leaving before we know it..." The other two clearly had no idea how to reply. It had been foolish to say that. Max wouldn't have been there, Victoria would have been more embedded in her queen bee status, and there likely wouldn't have been anyone around to keep her safe. Going to Blackwell sooner could have been as dangerous as it could have been wonderful. "A-Anyway, um, so there is a guided tour at 11:00. We could do that, or we could just go off on our own.

"I am in the mood for an adventure! If we get in, we can always take some stuffy old tour during move-in or matriculation" Max piped up from the back seat. She heard Victoria snicker softly.

"I think I'm with Maxine on this one. A guided tour's just gonna show us the dining hall, the dorms, the basic classrooms and stuff. We won't be living in dorms, we'll be cooking for ourselves, and I am chomping at the bit to get a peek at the graduate photography program."

And so it was decided that they would wander about PU for a while, puttering about as it suited them. Considering they weren't a part of any of the tour groups, they occasionally got some rather odd looks from the students, but far less than they'd really expected. One guy did start making eyes at them, and Victoria immediately put her arms possessively around the other two, glaring at him until he moved along. They shared an immensely unsympathetic laugh about that.

They checked out some of the main academic buildings, the student union, the art school, the student gallery, and more. At Kate's insistence, they took a visit to the University chapel too, which proved to be much more comfortable than they'd been expecting. There was a lot of information to soak up. Kate and Victoria were grabbing up every pamphlet and flyer they could get their hands on, and Max basically never stopped snapping pictures. Somewhere in the process they also snagged lunch at one of the local joints, and while Victoria was rather worried that everything would come soaked in grease, it turned out to rely a lot on local farmers for produce and meat. "Right, Portland" she mused, with just a hint of humble embarrassment.

Around 3:00, Max got a text, and gave a squeal of delight. The others looked a her with quizzical faces. "Um, I'm not allowed to tell you, but Chloe's got good news and she's swinging over here."

"Aw! I actually was gonna go sit in on a class..." Kate looked a little embarrassed about putting together a plan all on her own and now it was upsetting the surprise.

She felt Victoria's arm wrap around her and hold her close, and immediately some of that anxiety dissipated. "You go congratulate your beloved on her completely mysterious and not at all predictable news. I'll escort my angel to her class, make sure she has a ride back to the hotel. We'll figure out dinner when we get back~" Kate looked back to Victoria to tell her that it wasn't necessary, but a finger was pressed to her lips before she could say anything. "Clearly this is important to you. I wanna come along. It'll probably go way over my head, but I don't care."

Sure enough, the Tank rolled up and Max waved goodbye as Victoria and Kate made their way to one of the academic buildings. They walked hand in hand, silent for the moment, until Victoria gave Kate a little nudge. "Angel? Are you okay?" Kate hardly even seemed to be aware of the fact that she was being so quiet.

"This stuff... I mean, I know it might seem inexplicable that I care so much about religion and all. And I know it's not really you guys' thing. So the fact that you're coming with me just means a lot. T-That's all..." Kate's hand tightened slightly as they entered the building.

"My parents grew up at a time when you were either a wealthy catholic or a wealthy protestant. Neither of them cared for it, and it was decided that the Chase family wouldn't bother with something like that as a status symbol. It made them feel... icky. Sacrilegious, I guess. And for the most part I was right on board with them. Not like Chloe with her upside down crosses and whatnot, just... unconvinced." The two stopped in the hallway outside the classroom and stood together, watching all the students go about their business. "I still don't really get it. But it matters a lot to you, and I guess... maybe I admire you. Your dedication, I mean. Even now, you have these deep wells of belief without shoving it in anyone's face. Even the abstinence thing. And I know stuff is scary, but you're really trying, and it's so cool and... I'm going to stop talking now before our faces get any redder." Victoria grinned from ear to ear and pressed a kiss to Kate's forehead.

"If it's any consolation, this class is about buddhism and eastern philosophy..." Kate said, grinning just as wide.

"Then why did you let me go on like that!" No matter how hard she tried, Victoria no longer had the power she once did over Kate. Her iciest words just made her look like a child having a tantrum. And Kate ate it up.

"Because it was so sweet~ Now c'mon, I wanna get a seat in the back so I can avoid actually talking to anyone."


	10. The Angel and Her Queen

**[As with The Ice Queen Cometh, this one is about as close as I'll ever get to anything sexual. Needless to say, I write about Kate's asexuality from experience. That being said, I hope you enjoy!]**

The girls had one more day of business to attend to. As if by providence, the night after Chloe's interview and the others' visit to Portlandia University, they all received the good news simultaneously that they had gotten in. As long as they were in town, they wanted to cover one final detail. They needed somewhere to live. A lovenest. A crashpad. A home. Perhaps it was too soon to be planning such an important step, but none of them seemed scared of the idea. It was logical and exciting.

So Chloe and Max snuggled up with some tunes and the bluenette's laptop to research what kind of apartments the area had, how expensive they would inevitably be, all the usual. Though Kate and Victoria were eager to help, there wasn't much for them to do. As the pair on the suite couch dove in to the process of apartment hunting, Kate very nervously grabbed at Victoria's hand and pulled her away into the bedroom she had claimed, shutting and locking the door. Though the fear in her eyes was clear, so was the slight glimmer of... something else, something no one had ever seen in their Angel before.

"K-Katie...?"

"Tori. I've been thinking about a lot. Of stuff. Lately." Their hands were still linked together and she focused her glance on their connection, perhaps a tad afraid to actually look her own girlfriend in the eyes. Victoria knew how to be patient, and she got the impression that she would need all her skills to deal with whatever was going on here. Would it be another deep confession? Would there be drama and tears? No, Kate's eyes glimmered, there was a sheen to them, not of fear or sadness, but...

No, that didn't make sense. She would have to wait.

"Whenever you and Max and Chloe would go off on your own, I always thought, y'know, whatever. I could hang around, or I could go do my own thing. It was never a problem. I mean, it's still not! This isn't a problem! Sorry. Unlike normal, I couldn't really sort out what I needed through clever Googling." Victoria smiled and leaned in, gently cupping her girlfriend's chin and kissing her softly.

"Baby steps, as always. You're worth it, no doubt about it. Just speak in the plainest terms."

"Right. So, there's this moment I can't shake. The other week, when you agreed to be my primary. You said this thing, and you made this face. You said... you were a demanding queen. That I would worship the ground you walk on..." Victoria watched as Kate's face began to burn bright, brighter than it did when she was normally embarrassed. She realized her hand was still gently holding Kate's face and she slipped it up slightly, brushing her cheek with her thumb.

"And you find that exciting? Being my... subject?" A sense of extreme joy welled up inside her when Kate nodded her head, her eyes closing slowly. "I imagine that must be very confusing for you, Angel~"

Still with that dreamy look on her face, Kate nuzzled Victoria's hand and nodded again. Her hand came up to rest on top of the blonde's, as if urging her not to move it yet. Perhaps that simple touch kept her grounded? "I could be in the same room as you, Max, and Chloe. All of you completely nude, and it wouldn't do anything at all for me. No offense, you're all very beautiful." At this she gave a light laugh and her eyes finally opened again, though she refused to let Tori pull the hand away. "But when I think about how you're like this royal figure, and I imagine myself as your... I don't know, it-it's stupid..."

Victoria was so drawn in, seeing this side of the other girl that no one had ever been privy to before, not even Kate herself. So when it seemed like she was shying away, she felt a tiny bit of panic well up in her and she immediately wrapped her free hand around, running her fingers through the girl's hair, grateful that she had gotten out of the habit of keeping it so tightly wound behind her head. "D-Don't stop. It's not stupid!" Great, now she was the one blushing.

Finally her hand was released so that Kate could press herself against Victoria's chest, taking a deep breath. "You're this... this queen. And I'm your handmaiden. Tending to your every whim." Her breathing was becoming shorter now, rapid and uneven. "Every. Whim. And I think... I could do that. I don't care about getting off, really. Or I guess I don't? Certainly not from what little I understand about other peoples' sex lives..." The blonde could feel the heat radiating off Kate, not to mention herself. Was this happening? Was this real? It seemed impossible. She had been certain that intimacy between herself and Kate would always be some distant thing.

Had little Katie actually discovered the solution inadvertently? Victoria felt so proud of her, and she unexpectedly pulled her up, placing dozens of kisses all over her face, eliciting a surprised squeak from the girl. "Katie, darling... Do you trust me? I know I've had a long way to go and I understand if you don't, but-" Victoria was hardly able to finish her question before a passionate kiss was delivered to her lips.

"I do! I absolutely do! You've done nothing but prove how trustworthy you are since Halloween." Victoria knew she shouldn't have been caught off-guard by this reply, but she still was. A little. Just a bit. Her heart certainly wasn't threatening to burst through her chest at that moment or anything.

"Okay, we're going to take this slow. Until I say otherwise, you do as I order. You are only allowed to refer to me as Queen – and any variations, if you're feeling clever. You will be my Angel. As a more outstanding rule, the others aren't allowed to call you that anymore. I'll make sure of that. Finally, I want you to let me know the second you start to feel uncomfortable and we'll stop. It can be helpful to have a safeword too, though I doubt we'll need it. Let's say... 'strawberry'." She didn't want to pile on the rules or anything yet. This was still essentially a test phase, a chance to see where the boundaries lay.

"Queen... Angel... Strawberry... I can remember that. A-Anything else...?" Kate still had that very odd yet endearing look between fear and excitement. It was a good look for the wide-eyed beauty.

"You can only do something you've been ordered to. Otherwise, you must ask for permission. The more allowances I make, the more you'll have to beg and plead. Can you handle that?" Kate's nodding reply was fast and eager. "Then we begin now. Unless you give me the safeword, we'll continue until I say we're done." She gave the girl one last tender kiss to the forehead, dedicated to walking her through this every step of the way.

Though she'd gone to the trouble of creating a safeword, Victoria wasn't an idiot. This was little more than dipping a toe in the water. Any sign at all that Kate was getting freaked out and she would put an end to the game. All she ever cared about these days was making good art and keeping Kate Marsh happy. First, to get into character. She stood straighter, shoulders back, face as haughty as possible. She slipped out of her cardigan and passed it to the dumbfounded girl. "Well, it's been a long day, and your Queen requires a massage. Best help get her undressed, if you're so eager to please..." Ohh yes, she could get used to this. A perfect match, the chance to be bitchy and loving at the same time. It didn't get much better than that.

Kate treated the cardigan like it was made of the finest material and hung it up with such care. Damn, she was getting into the role fast. Those drama nerds _wished_ they had her acting chops. Without a word, looking serious and dedicated, Kate moved in front of her and began unbuttoning her blouse, pulling it back from her shoulders, allowing just the tip of her finger to graze Victoria's skin, sending a pleasant shiver through her body. Her brief playtime with Chloe couldn't hope to match that single moment. The blouse was added to the luggage they were using for laundry.

Kate returned before her and knelt down, showing a grace that Victoria honestly didn't know she had in her. The trouble, she could now see, was keeping her own self under control as much as Kate. Nimble, though trembling, hands unbuttoned her skirt and it dropped to the floor. "Step please, ma'am..." The voice was so soft and fit the mood so perfectly that Victoria hadly even processed it at first. Victoria did as requested and moved over, sitting on the side of the bed. The skirt joined the blouse and Kate was back again on her knees, undoing each of Victoria's shoes in turn and taking them away to be set aside. Each time the girl removed an article of clothing, there would be a slight moment of contact. Totally plain, completely boring, and utterly electrifying.

As her lovely handmaiden helped to undo her bra, there was a moment of fantasy-breaking humor where Kate fumbled with the clasp. It was only a second, and not enough to actually shatter the tension. If anything, it was oddly cute. She watched with further amusement as the bra was pulled back, and Kate actually began to stare, before her face bloomed and she quickly retreated to add it to the laundry. _I thought you weren't sexually attracted to me, Kate Marsh. Well, I suppose the question is whether this handmaiden has the hots for her queen._ Had there been even a moment of hesitation or fear, she would have said that this was more than enough.

But Kate was showing extreme dedication, and without missing a beat she began pulling away her underwear. This too was discarded with care, and Victoria finally moved to actually climb on the bed, resting on her stomach, propping her head up on her arms. She was expecting to feel the pressure of Kate joining her, but there a pause instead, followed by that soft, lilting voice. "My Queen, would you... like me to undress as well...?"

Victoria's breath caught in her throat and she found she couldn't look directly at her. Luckily, she had her own persona to maintain that she could funnel her embarrassment into. "Very well, if you think it necessary." There was a series of sounds from nearby, and finally she felt the pressure of another body joining the bed. And then she felt... _Oh dear..._

Kate truly had let herself become another person. There was no fear, at least not the obvious kind she usually portrayed. She had the whole 'nervous servant' thing down, and she idly wondered how long she had been thinking about this, her imagination running wild, as she tried to process how in the world these thoughts could coexist with her asexuality. Victoria was glad to help, naturally. The girl's bare body settled comfortably on top of her own, straddling her hips on her knees. Warm, tender hands rested against her shoulders. For a moment her Angel just held the touch, soaking in the tension.

Then she got to work in earnest. And it was amazing. Not that her Angel was a pro at it or anything, but all the other details worked in her favor. Her love, her dedication, the simple pleasure of skin-on-skin contact. It seemed she actually did have quite a few muscles that needed work, because it felt like the massage went on for a good half hour or so. Anyone else trying to draw things out so long would have bored Victoria to death. But as Queen, she was drinking this in, and she could only imagine how much this was impacting Kate. The massage wasn't nearly full-body, but Kate was more exploratory than she would have expected.

So far, so good. Victoria felt limber and relaxed and marvelously at peace. Gently, she rolled over, and Kate took this as a sign to stop. Sure enough, their eyes met and the blonde felt the kind of spark she had been wanting ever since... well... for quite some time. Who would have thought precious little Kate would have been the one to initiate this?

Now to press her luck just a touch further. "Angel, darling, you deserve a reward for such good work. Is there a boon I may grant you?" She let her hand rest suggestively on Kate's knee. For her part, however, Kate would have none of it and she tenderly took Victoria's hand and laced their fingers together, drawing it up to her face to kiss it gently.

"The only thing I wish is to see you happy." She looked toward Victoria's face again and bit her lower lip as her nerves threatened to take over.

 _You've made so much progress, Angel. You can say it any time you want. You can say stop, or strawberry, or even just no thank you. But you won't, will you? You're too proud. In too deep. You'll do it, won't you?_ This whole thing was moving beyond Victoria's control. As always, people tended to get in the way of her perfect plans. In this case, she had to hope that it would be for the better.

"Which is to say... my Queen... that I would very much like to finish my duties before bed. Would that please you?" Victoria's heart stopped and she began to sit up.

Safewords worked both ways. "Strawberry! In the name of all that is good and right in this world, strawberry!" Victoria squeezed Kate's hand and the girl seemed to come slowly back to reality. "Katie... darling... You don't have to do this..." Kate drifted forward and soon both of them were tangled up in one another's arms as Victoria began stroking her hair. "There are a lot of things I would be willing to do with you, Kate Marsh. But I will not let you sacrifice your morals for the sake of a game."

Kate curled up against her and nuzzled into the crook of her neck. "I know you wouldn't. And I guess that's why I'm okay with it. More than okay. I want to. Even if it's only once. To know what it's like. Come on, don't make me get all sappy, with the puppy-eyes. I'm not backing down on this one."

There was a slight pause as Victoria composed herself. Her hand remained against Kate's head, and she carefully started to push her downward, ever so slightly. "Then you had best make yourself useful, Angel. If you wish to make your Queen happy, then hop to it!"

Kate had to stifle a delightful giggle as she dutifully moved back on hands and knees until she was positioned between Victoria's legs. She figured it would take some careful movement and direction, and she was more than happy to provide, as in-character as she could manage. The old, shitty Victoria could have pointed out several flaws in Kate's technique, of course. But for a first attempt by an asexual goody-two-shoes, well... it was heavenly.

"Ah, I am trying... really... really hard to not take the lord's name in vain here, Katie darling. I hope you appreciate it..."

Kate was giggling as she sat back and carefully wiped at her lips. "More than you can imagine."

"Good, now get the hell over here so I can spoon you. We have another big day tomorrow." Kate was eager to comply, and before she knew it she was falling asleep in Victoria's arms, feeling closer to the vicious blonde than ever.

 **…**

Out in the suite, Chloe shut down her laptop and gave a little stretch, gently prodding her snoozing girlfriend. "Hey, we have two perfectly good beds, I'm not letting you fall asleep on a goddamn couch."

Max stirred and began to stretch as well. "Sorry, I didn't realize looking for a place to live could be quite that taxing. But at least now we have something to guide us tomorrow." She sat up and seemed to notice that it was still just them. "Kinda early. Did Kate and Tori go to bed already?"

Chloe gave an unassuming shrug and pulled Max along to go investigate. "Not like they'd be doing much else, right?" Her attitude changed when she reached for the handle and found the room locked. "The fuck? No. No fucking way. Did we miss a thing? Did a thing happen while we were doing all the hard work? I'm going to murd-"

Chloe felt a tug on her arm in the direction of the other room and looked to see Max with a vaguely knowing smile. "C'mon. We'll have all day tomorrow to pester them about the details. And forever to get our payback for not inviting us to join in."


	11. Hunting Season

Max only knew that something had happened. She and Kate had discussed it once or twice, the strange feelings she had that somehow intersected with her sexuality that made no sense. She tried her best to be open and understanding, but it made even less sense to her than it did to poor Kate. The only thing she could really do was to give her the obvious advice of talking things out with Victoria. The locked door the previous evening told her all she needed to know for the time being. It would be Vic and Katie's job to tell the rest of the story. Though it was damn near impossible to pull off, she refused to tell Chloe anything. She wouldn't even respond when she made guesses – and she made a LOT of guesses.

It wasn't until the next morning when they even had their first chance to get the gory details. True to form, Chloe and Max had trouble getting up early. This was as much a vacation as an important trip to check out college and apartments. So by the time they woke up, the other two had already vacated to the breakfast downstairs. As soon as the hipster and the punk appeared before them with their food, Kate and Victoria immediately turned red simultaneously and looked toward one another. Chloe was as tactful as ever. "Spill nerds. I want the play-by-play" she declared as she took her seat. Max slapped the back of her head and sat next to her.

"Jesus, Chlo, you're awful."

"Hey, they're _our_ girlfriends too! Primetime or not~"

"Primary, Chloe" Kate whined in deep embarrassment. "She's my primary. And it's not really a fit conversation for the setting..."

"Wooooowwwwwww" Chloe said, trying to play her usual cool self, though obviously she wanted to squee like a fangirl. That would have to be enough to sate her desire for details. "I will have further questions at another time, but I can respect you need some privacy, I guess" She let it go and things went back to normal for the time being. They ate their breakfast over some peaceful conversation, but Max did feel herself occasionally wondering about what specifically had happened. She could be pretty nosy herself sometimes.

"So uh... apartment hunting" chimed in Kate?

Max perked up and pulled a few scribbled notes from her bag and nodded eagerly. "Yup! We found five decent-looking places last night, so we'll check them out today and try to make a decision if we can. We don't have to, of course, but... I-I guess we're all on board, right?"

No one was exactly jumping to confirm her supposition, but no one was denying it either. Chloe had never been great at anything beyond the daydreaming stage of planning, and Kate was still recovering from all the changes in her life. She could hardly blame anyone for being scared of such a huge move.

All terror aside, they were eager to at least explore some more of the city and check some places out. They piled into Victoria's car, with Max navigating, and Chloe snuggled up to Kate in the back seat. Perhaps she figured if she couldn't pester the answers out of her, she could sweet-talk her into it. Not that Kate seemed to mind, Chloe had her own hidden depths of cuddliness.

The first place they checked turned out to be rather different from the pictures they'd seen, as it was currently home to a pack of frat boys from Portlandia University. Of course it fit Chloe's style, but Max wasn't sure she had the willpower necessary to clean this place of dude-stank, weed smell, and beer stains. It had seeped in too deep. She could only imagine the anxiety the other two felt just stepping foot into it. It was, much to Chloe's disappointment, a big no.

The second apartment was flashy enough. It was agreed that this was probably outside their budget – except perhaps for Victoria, but they were too proud to make her pay more than the rest of them. It was one of those places that almost felt... too nice for a quartet of young adults. It was the kind of place a family would move in to, one with a wealthy patriarch and stay-at-home mom or something.

Third on the list was quite an oddity, almost something out of a movie. Purely on a whim they decided to check it out. It was little more than an old factory that had been converted into a series of apartments. Max absolutely loved the open floor design and the grunge feel. But no one else seemed to be as enthusiastic about the lack of rooms or walls or the concrete floor.

The girls were running out of places, and the next one didn't really help to raise their spirits any. That first apartment actually had some promise to it that was ruined by thoughtless jerks. This one made them all nervous, like it was threatening to fall apart in no time. "No fucking way. We won't make it a month before the water heater explodes and kills us all or something" Chloe warned. They didn't even have to get out of the car. They just carried on to their final destination.

"Just... one more..." Everyone sighed in agreement with Max's depressed comment. Of course, if they didn't manage to find a place, they knew they could still work something out over the next few months. Victoria came to a stop in a little residential neighborhood. The place at the address looked like it was practically a house, or at least modeled to appear as one. It immediately put all the girls at ease and they approached the main door. What it turned out to be was three floors of four room apartments that was designed to match some of the surrounding houses.

"Clever. I'm liking this..." Victoria mused as they stepped into the first-floor apartment and looked about. It was charmingly decorated by a plethora of mismatched styles. They were greeted by an eager young woman who looked to be in her mid-to-late twenties.

"Max or Chloe?" she said toward Victoria.

Before she could respond, Chloe's blue hair popped into view and she gave a little wave before offering a hand. "That's Victoria. I'm Chloe, and this is my Max. Oh, and that's Kate over there. I'm glad you guys were okay with such a last minute e-mail. So these losers wanna live relatively close to Portlandia U, and I think you mentioned one of you guys went there?"

The woman laughed brightly and took Chloe's offered hand. "Yeah, that's me. Well, I'm a grad student, but yeah. So, everyone's kinda in their rooms right now doing their own thing, but we've gotten used to folks coming through and checking out the space. Don't be shy. The public transit ain't bad, I guess, but you better get used to walking."

It was perfect, almost sickeningly so. Max and Kate were geeking out over the kitchen and the back porch where they could have tea. Victoria was admiring all the architecture and the adorable neighborhood. And Chloe was just glad to see that one of the current residents was a pothead so she knew it was a safe space to get high now and then. They all made their way into the small living room and settled in to chat a little more. "So... Look, you can tell me if I'm way off-base here, but I gotta ask, why are you guys looking for four-room places? Call me presumptuous but you could probably get a steal on a two-bedroom."

Kate was the only one to get visibly embarrassed by this. Max could feel her pressing in closer and smiled understandingly. This was finally becoming the norm for her, and now she had, for the first time in a while, been pegged by a total stranger. It wasn't hard to follow her train of thought. If someone they'd just met could figure it out, how long before her parents did too? Even if it was just Victoria, there would be some serious drama. "Except for one of us" she said, glaring at Chloe "we kind of like our privacy now and then. I'm sure you can understand that. Sometimes it's good to have a cave you can call your own."

That apparently satisfied the nosy tenant and she gave a 'whatever' shrug. Thank goodness they weren't likely to run into much judgment in a place like this. It was somewhere on the list of reasons to move to Portland. "Well, you seem like good kids. We've had a couple other nice folks come in, and some... slightly suspect ones. But I have a good feeling about you."

"Is it alright for me to bring a pet along? I have a rabbit that I'd rather not push onto my parents..." Victoria threw an arm around Kate, patting her on the shoulder lightly.

"Sweetie, if blue-hair can toke, I think you can keep a rabbit."

Their host seemed amused by their antics and was clearly being swayed toward the college-bound hopefuls. And Max was glad to see that they were on the same page. Of course, they still had to make the final decision and doubtlessly fill out a million pieces of paperwork. But wheels were in motion and that felt amazing.

They left the apartment in high spirits and decided to go somewhere for some simple grub, all chatting excitedly about their find, and their potential future home. Portland felt... nice, and even cool-as-ice Chloe was getting hyped.

They were back in the hotel, enjoying a movie before bed, when finally Max noted a look pass between Victoria and Kate. _What in the hell is that about...?_ She didn't have to wonder long as Victoria roughly grabbed Chloe's hand and dragged her off toward one bedroom and Kate simultaneously snuggled in close to her.

"Um... So... I don't want to completely wreck you guys' mental image of me, but Victoria and I were... intimate last night?"

Max raised an eyebrow at the statement. Mostly because it sounded more like a question. She and Kate talked idly sometimes about her asexuality, but never too much in-depth. She didn't want to make her uncomfortable. But it seemed she needed some debriefing beyond what Victoria gave her. "Do you wanna walk through it?"

"I um... I told her about some of the stuff going through my mind. She was really sweet and understanding. Before I knew it, we were naked together. I gave her a massage and then... I... pleasured her..." Max, shamefully, wanted to giggle at Kate's inability to talk about sexual stuff. But it seemed like maybe her girlfriend needed her right now. "But that was it. I didn't really want anything in return. I just liked... being of service... We had nicknames and a safeword and... I-I dunno, it was amazing, but I'm kinda starting to feel like a weirdo again?"

Max shook her head and cuddled Kate fiercely. She was starting to learn bits and pieces about how Kate worked. She needed words, terms, definitions, guidelines, and more. Thankfully, for once, Max actually had some idea of what was going on here. She guided Kate's head to rest against her chest and she played with her hair. "You're a bottom~"

"But I was mostly on top..."

Okay, this time Max couldn't help herself, and she laughed softly at Kate's comment. "Sorry, that's not really a literal term... Victoria is dominant, you're submissive. It makes sense. I guess Chloe and I are kinda the same..." Now it was Max's turn to get a little bit bashful. Generally speaking Kate didn't care to know what went on behind closed doors. But they had found something that they could all potentially share in. It was certainly intriguing.

"But you're also ace, so that's hard to sort out. You like submitting, but you don't like sex. All we have to do is keep being careful, never overdoing it, always checking in. When you feel like you've got the guts to do it, I would suggest very carefully looking up some information on BDSM or something. Um, stay away from the porn though... And make sure to keep talking it through with Tori. And me. Maybe not Chloe. She's more... excitable."

That seemed to be all that Kate could handle. Luckily, they heard the sound of Chloe shouting from the bedroom and began giggling. It went from gleeful shouting to angry shouting and Kate smirked, nestling in more against Max. "I guess Chloe just got the bad news she's not allowed to call me Angel anymore."


	12. Home

**[Every now and then my aimless fluff gets even more aimless and way more fluffy. I feel like I should apologize but I won't.]**

The first couple days in Portland had been quite the whirlwind, but everyone agreed that it was for the best to deal with the boring stuff first. This left them with several days to explore and enjoy the city and not have to worry about anything at all.

Sometimes they went places as a group, exploring parks and museums, and getting all kinds of delicious meals – from fancy restaurants to food trucks. There were pictures and drawings and more to commemorate the various events. Max was starting to worry that she would never have enough room on her wall for all these new pictures. Perhaps it was time to invest in some proper scrapbooks or something.

But there were also various excursions into the city for more personal reasons. Max and Kate spent almost an entire day just examining shops for tea and used books. It took every ounce of self-control to not buy every single thing they came across. But they still managed to escape with a replacement kettle and some mugs, and more tea and books.

Victoria went off in search of beautiful clothing and decided to bring Chloe along. What she hadn't expected was to be dragged to a thrift store afterwards, some kind of locally owned joint that she wouldn't have dared step foot into on her own. She hated to admit that she was having a pleasant time, and she did have a few pieces of clothing in tow when they got back to the hotel that day.

Together they looked at the pile of treasures they'd snagged and seemed grateful they had two vehicles to tow it all home. The trouble would be finding a home for it all in their rooms. But soon... some day soon they would have a home all their own. Somewhere they could rest their weary heads and decorate however they pleased. Yet, for the time being, Portland would have to remain their future, they needed to get back to Arcadia Bay.

Both vehicles were quiet, their drivers moving slowly along the interstate, dragging their feet, metaphorically speaking. Blackwell and the bay were their home, but the city felt pretty homey too. They didn't wish to return to normal life, to classes and tests and graduation and parents. They wanted to get on with their lives. But time was no longer at their beck and call. It continued to play by its own rules. The week in Portland lasted a second, the two hour drive back to Arcadia Bay five hours. Max was snoozing on Chloe's shoulder, and she at least had the good sense not to blast any music. Kate was curled up in Victoria's passenger seat, and the blonde allowed herself multiple glances to check up on her sleeping Angel.

It took some work, finally waking up the sleeping girls, but eventually the Blackwell students managed to get to work bringing everything in. Juliet emerged from Dana's room with an embarrassed stretch and leaned up against the door jamb. "The prodigals return..."

Dana's head popped up from behind her, arms snaking around her stomach. "I thought Biblical allusions were Kate's thing."

Kate tossed her bag onto her bed and snickered as she went back out to greet them properly. "In Juliet's defense, she didn't really use it properly. We'd only be prodigals if we ran off to Portland, 'never to return' and then, y'know, suddenly returned."

"Even brilliant journalists have trouble thinking clearly, after so much... physical activity..." Dana quipped, causing Juliet to spin around, pouting and smacking her arm.

"Not in front of Kate, idiot!"

Victoria was walking past, arms full of bags of clothes, and she gave her girlfriend a lingering kiss on the cheek. "Yeah, she's a precious _Angel_ , after all~" Kate's face immediately went red as a beet and the lovebirds in the doorway turned to look in confusion.

"Victoria Chase, you are evil evil evil!" she cried and quickly shoved her toward her room, closing the door behind them. Once they were within the safety of the posh girl's room, Kate moved with grace to pull the bags out of her hands and setting them aside before immediately pressing Victoria up against her door. "Evil... evil... evil..." she said, as she peppered her lips with kisses.

The sound of knocking at the door caused them both to jump, and Max's voice could be heard from the other side. "You two are very cute, but I still have like 50 pounds of just clothes, so you'd better let me in or I'm dumping them out all over the hall for the vultures to pick at!"

Victoria rolled her eyes and moved away from the door. "You always say the meanest things about Taylor and Courtney, darling. I'm going to tell them you called them vultures~" The door was opened to reveal a stuttering Max who seemed flustered by these accusations.

"I didn't! I didn't call anyone a vulture explicitly! It's just a phrase! You're putting words in my mouth..."

Max immediately regretted her choice of phrasing as Victoria leaned in close until she was nose-to-nose with her. "You would prefer I put something else in your mouth?"

"So anyway Chloe realized she needed to go home because Joyce only sorta knew what we were doing up in Portland and she wants her to know she'll have a job and more than likely somewhere to live next year and she knows that will make Joyce and David happy and then I guess she'll be back later!" Max said all this in one breath, and was panting by the time she was through. She never could get used to the way Victoria could just... speak words all... sexy-like. It fried her a little bit. Kate smiled on empathetically at least. She stuck out the handful of bags still left, and Victoria took them gently, giving Max a soothing kiss on the cheek.

"Easy there, Maxine. There's steam pouring out of your ears. Dr. Chase recommends you come in and lay down. Kate, be a dear and help her out. I could be putting these clothes away for a while." She turned and began going through the first and closest bag.

Though Tori's bed looked welcoming enough, Max found that she felt a little bad. She'd interrupted the two , and now she was being pulled into their time. Kate apparently caught wind of her anxieties and took her by the wrist, closing the door and dragging her over to the bed to collapse in a pile of pillows and soft blankets. "Whatever you're thinking, Max Caulfield, you'd best forget it." The sandy-haired hipster could barely even get a word out. This wasn't exactly a new side of Kate, but she did seem to be flexing it more comfortably. "Just because Victoria is my primary doesn't mean I don't occasionally feel the need to hold you all night..." A tender kiss was placed just on the underside of Max's jaw and she gave an embarrassed groan, trying to wrap herself up in a cocoon of blankets and sheets to hide from her embarrassment.

"Hey! Those are expensive. If you two wanna do some weird German dadaist theatre blanket cocoon, you can do it in one of your rooms." Except for very specific settings, it was downright impossible for Victoria to speak with the venom she used to. The truth was that she adored watching the two play on her bed so innocent and sweet. But predictably, they took the hint, carefully making her bed – or at least what Max considered 'made' – before resuming their snuggles.

Every now and then Victoria would pause as she was putting away some particular piece of clothing and one of her girlfriends would comment on it. It wasn't long before the process of organizing was completely forgotten and the pair was watching as she tried on each dress, skirt, and sweater for them amidst applause, cheering, and wolf-whistles.

This lengthened the process of putting her clothing away significantly, to the point that Chloe returned and quickly joined the audience gathered on the bed. Others would occasionally pop their heads in as new outfits were shown. And Victoria was flawless as ever, even when Taylor and Courtney burst in without any warning while she was mid-strip. They shared whatever important Vortex business it was they'd come to discuss while Victoria slipped into her next outfit, red-faced and fumbling. " _Ciao, bellas_! Don't keep each other up too late now!" The pair giggled brightly as they closed the door behind them.

The desire to show off seemed to finally leave the blonde and she changed into something less formal so she could join the pile on the bed, curling up somewhere between Chloe's legs and Max's shoulder, pulling Kate into her lap to pet her gently. For a while they just lay there together not doing or saying much of anything. They were wiped out and would no doubt be useless at class and work tomorrow. Kate was the first to break the silence, eyes still closed in delight as Victoria's ceaseless fingertips massaged her scalp.

"Am I allowed to be a gigantic sap?"

Victoria giggled softly. "We might groan at whatever you have to say, but I think you know that's only because we're all thinking it. So you may as well."

There was the briefest hesitation as Kate went through the usual motions and fiddling before finally finding her words. "I thought Portland was like... this amazing city, like it would be perfect for us. But I guess maybe it kind of only... sort of was? But I was still so happy to be there. With you all." Her eyes shut a little tighter and she curled up more against Victoria, grabbing one of Max's hands. "You're my home..."

The chorus of "Awwww!" was almost defeaning, and no one could really find it in themselves to make fun of her sappy statement.


	13. No Green Day, No Vitamin C

"I am supposed to stand before you and say something smart because I have the highest GPA. That's all that being valedictorian means. And I'm not sure I can do that. All I really did was study as hard as possible and work my butt off." A small chuckle from the gathered crowd helped to put Victoria at ease. "A lot can change in four years, or one year, or one week." This caused a number of serious nods and a few understanding smiles. "We make plans and they don't pan out. We think we know the people around us, and then they go and surprise us in a million different ways. Our memories trick us, and that photograph that's worth a thousand words loses all its power if it's burned in a fire. Nothing is what it seems."

Somehow, someway, they had made it. Graduation day. Practically the entirety of Arcadia Bay was there, plus assorted families of the graduating class of 2015. The Victoria of one year ago probably would have hated this speech, and that gave her a strange sense of peace.

"Nothing is set in stone, and nobody has a clue what they're doing. We make it up as we go along. We stick to our convictions until they don't serve us anymore. Sometimes the most we can do is find something that makes us happy and cling to it like a plank of wood in the middle of the ocean. So follow your passions. Go to college or get a job or backpack through Europe, so long as you're living for yourself, your dreams, your desires. And keep in touch. The internet exists for a reason."

Victoria dismounted from the stage amidst applause and cheers from the gathered crowd and took her place among her fellow students. Clearly her plan to cut the bullshit worked like a charm. She was able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Principal Wells moved things along to the final part of the ceremony, and one by one the students were called up to receive their diploma. And every time one of her girlfriends' names was called, Chloe Price would cry out obnoxiously, thoroughly embarrassing all involved. Max, Kate, and Victoria were just glad she'd managed to keep from shouting any obscenities.

It was the next part that no one was particularly prepared for. Meeting the parents...

Of course, things were a little easier on Max and Chloe's end. Poor Joyce had to put up with everyone all year, though she did so with a motherly smile and a firm hand. She was so excited to see the Caulfields again and immediately pulled them both in for a tight hug. "Ryan! Vanessa!"

They both gave an uneasy but happy laugh when she finally released them. "Joyce. I hope Max hasn't caused you too much trouble this year."

"Not at all! Hell, I'm just grateful she was around to keep Chloe in line..." They all looked toward the bluenette, who was almost but not quite dressed up in a shirt and tie with her usual steel-toed boots. She immediately wrapped a protective arm around the sandy-haired graduate with her trademark grin.

"She's a regular task-master. Max has been a blessing on all of us" Pressing her luck, Chloe placed a gentle kiss on Max's cheek, while she stood there blushing dumbly.

"Yeah, well, now it's your turn to watch out for her. Taking our baby girl away to the big city and all~" If there was any hesitation or worry in Max's parents, neither girl noticed it. They knew the two balanced each other out, for the most part anyway. The only thing they couldn't seem to adjust to was the blue hair and tattoos. If they didn't have field reports from Max, they would have been much more dubious about her influence.

Things were going far less well for the other two. They stood there and watched the visible tension that threatened to ignite any second. Kate was, frankly, grateful her mother hadn't shown up. That woman was a powder keg all by herself. But even the more understanding members of the Marsh clan looked toward Victoria's parents with disdain. These were the creatures who had spawned the blonde monster that drove their precious Kate to nearly do the unthinkable. Victoria's parents, on the other hand, were still processing her speech. No great thinkers or philosophers, just a bunch of drabble about uncertainty and happiness? They were, naturally, concerned less for their daughter herself than the legacy of their name at the prestigious school.

There wasn't much that could be done to prepare anyone for what came next, and the girls had decided that their only option was to launch into it. Kate took Victoria's hand, showing that deep well of courage that so few ever got to see. She flushed and squeezed it tightly.

"Dad, you guys... I-I'm sorry I couldn't find the words to tell you sooner... Victoria and I..." She was starting to falter, and Victoria took the baton with flawless grace.

"We're together. We have been since January." Victoria's voice didn't carry nearly the weight it used to, but she put all her conviction into those words. Her own parents looked shocked, but that was hardly important to her anymore. They had expected to give her away like some princess with a dowry, and she was done with that archaic nonsense. At this point, she was more concerned with Kate's family.

Her sisters just squealed and immediately launched forward to hug her tightly. They didn't realize they were currently hugging the very girl who had been complacent in putting her into harm's way in the first place. Not that they would have cared. Kate was back to her old self, and if this was who put that smile there, that as all that mattered. Richard Marsh seemed to take longer to process the information. He knew enough to know who the blonde was. But not even he could deny the joy he saw. He joined the hug too, and Victoria felt a sense of warmth that was wholly new.

"We will talk about this later" droned her father, and the two departed, sticks remaining firmly up their asses.

With one of the big announcements out of the way, Kate felt free to actually rest again Victoria as they continued to talk. Her father knew she'd gotten into Portlandia University, but she still had to break the news that she would be sharing an apartment 'in sin' with her girlfriend, as well as Max and Chloe. His face spoke volumes even as he gave her his full support. He would be breaking this news to her mother carefully. Well, Kate knew to take what she could get these days. Her mother and her extended family might not be so proud of her, but, as Victoria had said, what mattered was their happiness.

Tentatively, the four girls brought their families all together, sans Victoria's, and they all seemed generally pleased to hear that their daughters were getting along so well. Chloe had to stifle the urge to laugh or even smile at this. No sense completely blowing all their minds any further. Kate's sisters clearly remembered the stories they'd been told about her 'guardian angel' and pulled Max into a hug similar to the one Victoria had received. She wasn't used to siblings, so this was a bit of a treat for her.

"Y'all must be starving, why don't you come on over to the Two Whales? Ol' Joyce will hook you up" the waitress said with a happy wink.

Chloe gave a soft cough and looked at the other girls then back to the gathered families. "Actually, we already have plans, but you kids go hang out, have fun. Tell embarrassing stories about us and all that."

They collectively slipped away before their families could try and haul them back. There was a Vortex Club party to get to.

…

It was still a strange experience for all of them to go to a Vortex party, but Courtney and Taylor had really been outdoing themselves lately. There was still booze and dancing, but a lot of people had been co-opted into working as proper bouncers rather than just scary muscle. Any shady shit and you were out on your ass. Try to start something, and you'd be going home with bruises everywhere.

But it was more than just that. Victoria had, in a way, left her position. She was still in the Vortex Club, but she was no longer the queen. So she was basically just another VIP student. On her arm was Kate, who had pretty much refused to attend a single party for months – no one could blame her. Chloe had been equally dubious about the club, considering her own experiences at their parties, and her status as a drop-out. And Max, well, no one ever knew what to make of her.

But it was graduation, and Victoria had delivered a rousing speech, and everyone was a little enchanted by the quartet's whirlwind romance. Each girl took a shot, even precious Kate, and made their way out to the dancefloor. Unlike Dana's Halloween party, they no longer had to keep up some silly pretense about pairing off. With nothing to hide, they were able to dance freely. Max was predictably uncoordinated, Chloe had to constantly remind herself moshing wasn't really an option, Victoria was actually a bit timid and seemed to prefer slower dances, and Kate's grace was a surprise to most everyone except her girlfriends.

Soon enough they would be moving to Portland, and there would be so much to do. Fighting over rooms and kitchen space, decorating, signing up for classes, getting jobs, paying bills. It was pretty fucking terrifying, but that was for the future. For tonight, they were Blackwell graduates – well, most of them – and they intended to enjoy themselves.

 **[Alright, that's it everyone, go home! I'll probably write some more small bubbly things here and there, and then eventually launch into the Portland chapters. Keep your eyes peeled]**


	14. Chasemarsh vs Pricefield

**[A/N: I guess you can assume this is taking place during the graduation party? I dunno, excusemethatsnotcanon on Tumblr asked for a beer pong story. So here you go!]**

"I appreciate that she's down to party, but it severely ruins the point of beer pong if one of the contestants doesn't drink beer!"

"Well... But... Chloe, c'mon, it's Kate!"

"I-I don't _have_ to play. I just thought it would be fun. I'll just stand here and watch instead..."

"That's just not even fair, look at how adorable she is. But it's also not fair if she's not imbibing! It gives their team a major advantage."

Like Katniss Everdeen, Victoria stepped forward bravely. "I'll drink for both of us..."

Kate gave an overly dramatic gasp and latched onto her. "Baby no! You'll never make it."

But the blonde just cupped her chin and kissed her heroically. "And when I fall, you will be there to carry me, my love..." She could practically hear Courtney rolling her eyes across the room.

"Hurry up, nerds, there are other people who want to play!" The elbow from Dana wasn't quite fast enough to silence Juliet's jeering. "Ow! What, we were all thinking it. They're adorable schtick does tend to wear out it's welcome over time..."

The argument could have gone on a good deal longer, but Victoria had spoken and there was no hope changing her mind. So the game got underway.

Of course Chloe was a beer pong champ and sank her first shot. Victoria knocked back the drink and immediately retaliated with a matching shot, forcing the bluenette to drink as well. Max's first shot whiffed, but Kate managed to sink a shot as well. The pattern went on as it usually did, ping pong balls into cups, drinking, and significantly more missing over time – except for Kate. She wasn't a pro, but the lack of beer in her system meant that her hit-ratio was higher.

Poor Victoria was starting to look a little green, but there were still three cups left on each side. Her girlfriends had all been very understanding, but she knew her time had come to be a big girl. "Go take a seat, sweetie, I'll handle this. I'll drink the rest."

"Katie, no! I-I-I cin do ittt... You're a pure, preshus simanim roll an'..."

Kate giggled brightly and motioned for someone to escort her to get some water. She turned back to face Chloe and Max looking at her from across the table. "Our little baby's all grown up, Max..."

"I'm so proud, Chlo'~" she replied, wiping an invisible tear from her cheek.

"Come on, we have to finish before there's a riot." Before she could say any more, Chloe launched a ping pong ball into one of the cups with an eager grin. "Right..." With a brave grimace, Kate swallowed the contents in one go, trying not to heave. The effect was immediate and she missed her next shot. It didn't take long for the combined efforts of Max and Chloe to finish up their remaining two shots. She wasn't happy about it, but to everyone's amazement she did it, slamming down the third plastic cup like a drunken dwarf with a stein. The party erupted in cheers, though no one was totally sure if it was for the others' victory or Kate's drinking.

She went to the couch where Victoria was hanging out and sat in her lap, kissing her passionately on the lips. "Di' we win?" Victoria was still concerned, and it was incredibly sweet.

"Nope!" Kate replied with a wide grin and kissed her once more.


End file.
